Words cannot describe the pain I feel for the mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends and family who didn’t know they had seen their loved ones for the last time in Uvalde on May 24. As many across the country keep asking, when will enough be enough? When will this country do something, anything, to stop the massacre of the innocent? How many more children have to die before politicians in Austin and Washington decide to act? What is the threshold to end the cycle of “thoughts and prayers” and begin the process of action?
Politicians in Austin and D.C. who say that now is not the time to bring politics into the conversation in light of the tragedy are the same politicians who time and time again do nothing to address the issue. This copout is the first tactic deployed by pro-gun legislators, best demonstrated by Sen. Ted Cruz when addressing a Sky News reporter asking him a reasonable question on why these type of massacres only happen in the U.S.
So to Ted Cruz, Greg Abbott, the Texas Republicans who were on stage for their photo op conference in Uvalde on May 25: When is the time to talk about the policy and the politics? When exactly is the time to bring politics into the conversation?
Despite the 2019 massacre by a white supremacist against the Latino community in El Paso and another mass shooting in Midland-Odessa, the governor signed legislation that would allow Texans to carry handguns in public without going through training or having to get permits. In addition to being opposed by gun safety advocates, according to an August 2021 article by The Texas Tribune, this bill was also opposed by law enforcement organizations across the state, with the executive director of the Houston Police Officers’ Union stating that it would be harder for law enforcement to determine if someone is legally able to carry a weapon.
By signing this bill, Greg Abbott and Texas Republicans gave everyone, including criminals, easier access to guns. And thanks to such lax gun laws, according to a report on gun violence in the U.S. territories by the Giffords Law Center, Texas was the third leading exporter of illegal firearms trafficked to the U.S. Virgin Islands, where they would inevitably be used in gun-related crimes. For Puerto Rico, Texas ranked second. And while Republicans often point to “blue cities” like Chicago and its high gun crime rate, a 2017 report found that 60% of guns recovered following crimes originated in states with lax gun laws like Indiana, Kentucky and Texas. Simply put, states with lax gun laws contribute to rising gun crime across the nation.
Following the Midland-Odessa tragedy, Abbott is quoted as saying, “We know that words alone are inadequate … words must be met with action.” Nothing quite exemplifies the governor’s urgency to act on this crisis like his decision to attend a political fundraiser following his remarks on the tragedy in Uvalde on May 25.
Perhaps the governor believes that this massacre shouldn’t get in the way of making a quick dime for his reelection campaign?
But Republicans shouldn’t shoulder all of the blame. Currently, Democrats in Congress have the ability to enact meaningful gun reform, yet refuse to do so without Republican support. While I think we can all agree that bipartisanship and unity on such an issue should be a no-brainer, Republicans have shown that they are more than willing to share thoughts and prayers but refuse to upset the gun lobby. Theatrics are all Republicans can and will offer, and Democrats need to find a spine to pass gun safety reforms instead of waiting for Republicans to find the political will to do anything.
While we hope this never happens in the Rio GrandeValley, it’s becoming more and more clear that simply hoping and praying is not enough. Placing limits on how easily accessible a gun is, especially for criminals or those who engage in gun trafficking, can go a long way in preventing the next mass shooting.
Carlo Flores lives in McAllen.
