George wore a very large Under Armor sweatshirt and grinned. Pops, how about this? I laughed again as I said “no” to his contagious laugh.
My son and I visit Allen Premium Outlets numerous times a year to buy seasonal items. We adore shopping at the outlets for summer shorts, fall coats, and Christmas gifts for his mother.
As a father, I was heartbroken by the Allen tragedy. A vile bigot killed entire families. Even children were killed.
Our culture is filled with hate and callous disrespect for human life, resulting in an America we no longer recognize.
The families affected will weep, the public uproar will be huge, left-wing politicians will reflexively call for gun bans, and right-wing politicians will provide meaningless platitudes. Nothing will change.
Political disagreements have made action impossible. Sophisticated cultural elites will demand that insubordinate conservatives give up their “weapons of war.”
Reactionary conservatives will defend the people’s right to mass-killing devices in obedience to a constitutional amendment that was originally designed to aid form militias.
The PRAYERS Project can assist elected leaders protect Texans from gun violence.
When grade-school children and newborns are ripped apart by military weaponry spewed from high-capacity ammo magazines, these same officials soothe us with their usual solution: thoughts and prayers.
They don’t afford family protection laws. They also fail to prevent future attacks. Some politicians exploit these disasters.
Why don’t our politicians act? In states like Texas, elected officials to know that taking any action beyond thoughts and prayers could lead to a primary challenge from a “true conservative” who will falsely claim that those who support commonsense gun control are abandoning the Second Amendment.
Worse, it would mean these politicians would not obtain an A-plus grade from the state rifle organization and the NRA—a death sentence in red-state politics.
How do I know? Because I was a Republican Texas legislator who advocated for rational gun control. I was challenged in a primary, dubbed a soft-on-crime progressive, and unseated for this heresy.
Mass shootings transcend politics. The greatest country ever is better than our elected rulers. Texas, the largest US state, can provide solutions to protect our families.
I challenge every Texas political official to join me and families throughout the state in the “PRAYERS Project.”
If thoughts and prayers are the only remedy, maybe we can make it more meaningful. Elected politicians joining the PRAYERS Project would support these simple reforms:
Permits needed. Drivers, voters, medical providers, and prescribers must have licenses. Why should we abolish such a minimal condition for someone holding a gadget that can rapidly and efficiently kill people? Anyone who submits a brief application, undergoes a basic training course, and registers their weapon with the local authorities receives a permit.
Raise the weapon purchase age to 21. Under-21s cannot buy smokes or drink because they may injure themselves. Why should someone buy a fatal firearm?
Impose a three-day handgun purchase delay. A 72-hour waiting period would give authorities time to run background checks and give buyers a chance to change their mind. Why not a waiting time for firearms?