It is Past Time for a Federal Assault Weapons Ban
I am waiting for our current congressman, Mike Lawler, to call for a comprehensive federal ban on assault weapons in response to the attempt, by a 20-year-old with an AR-15-style rifle, on Donald Trumpâs life, as well as the murder of Corey Comperatore and the critical condition of two other rally attendees.
President Biden has renewed his call for such a ban. Mike, why not join him?
Iâm not holding my breath, given Lawlerâs past complete lack of concern about this issue. Why, when he was in the state Assembly, he even voted against a package of gun safety laws, including banning the purchase of semiautomatic rifles by anyone under 21 years old.
What kind of country are we, where attending a political event, going to school, shopping at the mall, going to a concert or attending a house of worship becomes a scary and dangerous endeavor? Will this ever sink into Lawlerâs consciousness and cause him to act? I suggest we donât wait to find out, since Iâm not optimistic about Lawler developing the courage to stand against his party and his campaign contributors.
At the 2024 Republican National Convention, at which Lawler was a delegate, the death of Mr. Comperatore and the serious medical conditions of the injured were not given the attention they deserved, nor was there any acknowledgment of the trauma experienced by those in attendance, as though they didnât matter. Mr. Lawlerâs party seems intent on using a tragic event solely for political gain, not as a springboard for seriously addressing a significant health and safety problem with common-sense legislation.
Margaret Yonco-Haines
Garrison
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