Facts: 18 school shootings so far in 2018; there have been more mass shootings than days on the calendar for three straight years; yesterday’s shooter legally purchased an assault rifle, but he was 19 and could not buy a hand gun; 33,000 Americans die from gunfire each year; more than 200 children kill themselves or someone else after accessing loaded guns; Australia was the only country who had a similar gun problem and changed their laws. The number of deaths have been greatly reduced and both gun owners and gun safety activists are pleased. The NRA is a lobby for gun manufacturers and gun sellers; they are not a gun safety or gun rights advocate. It’s all about the money. The final fact is that Republicans will never vote for sensible gun laws because the NRA owns them. They donate millions of dollars to Republican candidates every year in local, state, and federal elections.

After 58 men and women were slaughtered in Las Vegas, Democrats, the people of the United States, and a few Republicans called for changes to our gun laws. Ted Cruz, Paul Ryan, Mike Huckabee, and dozens of other Republicans, lied and said that the millions of Americans who favor stricter regulations were ‘politicizing’ the tragedy. When 26 churchgoers were murdered in their pews in a small town in Texas, the American people and Democrats once again called for sensible gun legislation. Republicans claimed that we were again ‘politicizing’ the incident. Immediately after a nineteen year old shooter took the lives of 19 students and teachers in Florida, intelligent Americans once again called for change; Republicans again accused us of ‘politicizing’ the tragedy.

We must demand more from the men and women we elect. They must serve us, not we them. The American people have many rights guaranteed by the Constitution. We also have the right to attend a concert, go to a movie, attend church services, or send our children to school without fear. White terrorists kill more Americans than any other group, foreign or domestic.

This Florida law violates common sense. This deranged young man was allowed to buy a military style weapon and multiple magazines at 19-years-of-age, but could not legally purchase a handgun. Our nation is moronic. Our government places the profits of big business ahead of the welfare and safety of its people. The NRA and Republicans claim that they have rights based on the second amendment. The changes demanded by true Americans are not protected by the second amendment according to Constitutional scholars.

This must change. Our legislators will never ban lobbyists; they want their money. They are buying votes every day. We can change that environment by ridding our nation of the enemy. Republicans do not represent you. They are the party of big business, and the Christian religious right.

If you care about your future, and love your family and friends, you will be at your polling place on November 6^th. Take your country back.

Op-ed by James Turnage

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