Friday, February 16, 2018

McCaskill: Our children deserve much more than our thoughts and prayers

(From Sen. Claire McCaskill)

My heart broke when I heard the news out of Florida on Wednesday.

I'm devastated for the families that lost loved ones. I'm furious that 17 more children and educators were slaughtered in one of the very places they should've felt safest. And I'm terrified that tomorrow I'll turn on the news and see that yet another shooting has taken place in yet another school hallway.

Our children deserve so much more than our thoughts and prayers.

If folks in Washington are serious about stopping senseless gun violence, we need to act.

There are a whole lot of gun safety measures the Senate has struggled with that the vast majority of Americans, myself included, fully support. We need to strengthen background checks. We need to close the gun show loophole so private sales of firearms require a background check. We need to ban bump stocks, which make weapons virtually automatic. We need to pass "no fly, no buy," so suspected terrorists can't purchase guns.

We owe it to every child and teacher we lost on Wednesday to pour our hearts into passing the kind of legislation that would make our country a safer place. I am going to do everything in my power to get it done, and I know a majority of Americans are with me on this kind of common sense legislation.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree with every statement about the gun control changes that are listed above, but nothing more.

Criminals will always have guns and law-abiding citizens need to arm themselves so we can protect ourself and our family.

Anonymous said...

Another political bowel movement from Unfair Claire the one who brought us Obamacare. Improvements need to be made but such trite from politicians after a tragedy such as this week's do not change things...Better mental health networking/services,eliminating gun free zones to the extent property owners can have their staff armed as they see fit,instilling more of a brothers keeper outlook,and limiting violence over internet should all help.

Anonymous said...

OK, first off the shootings are a tragedy, but we have to admit that the republicans are paid too well by the gun/ammo makers and the NRA to look the other way or debate the issue until the people calm down and go on to making money. It is too late for the gun issue and so we will have to live with more school and public shootings in the future. With the latest loophole of ghost guns and automatic or semi-auto rifles used only in the past by the military our country is one of divisive in nature and aggressive behavior is raised to a lofted estate. We are a nation built on aggression and it will never change. We must accept that a small minority of the people, gun owners and lobbyists, control our politics with respect to gun laws as does the big business controls our environmental and health regulations with respect to pollution. Our country is on a death spiral from the past as seen by Grassley of Iowa being major sponsoring of bill not allowing the FBI to keep a file on mental patients who might purchase guns(Feb 2017). Now he comes out in favor of it like it is his idea and Gov. Scott blaming the FBI for not doing something when the local police went to his home 39 times over domestic problems. The republicans shout and scream at left wingers while OK the policies and actions of their President who is clearly corrupt. Sad and lost country.

Anonymous said...

Gun free zones are a joke anyway. That just means you have no weapon to defend yourself when the criminal comes to your place. It's like advertising "hey, we're unarmed".

Anonymous said...

624-Stop being so dramatic. When have you ever needed a gun because you were in a life threatening situation?

Harvey Hutchinson said...

Guns don’t kill people ; people kill people
The guy was on the FBI and other law enforcement radar screen. Many folks had done just what we’re told to do, and that’s Report it.
The FBI was too busy harassing Trump; especially when Obama wa still there. Mueller says it started at least as far back as 2014. In 2012 debate, Mitg Romney told Obama the biggest threat was Russia, and Obama’s response was to laugh and mock Romney. Now we know why he laughed. Obama administration most corrupt since Nixon. Instead of burglary in Watergate, Obama took out FISS warrants to electronically break into Yrump Towers in order to help lying crooked Hillary.
Harvey Hutchinson 303-522-6622 voice&text

Anonymous said...

The one time a guy pulled a gun on me, I took it away from him. I still have the gun and he still has a permanent limp.

Anonymous said...

No one needs an ar15 but Law enforcement and the Military. No one!