My community is mostly rural, just a 30-minute drive from a big city, and in 2019 the town attempted to declare itself a Second Amendment sanctuary city. It’s not uncommon to see vehicles with AR-15 decals on the rear windows, bumper stickers that say “Come and Take It,” “2A,” “This Girl is Packing” or other symbols of proud gun ownership. I occasionally see citizens with side arms running errands around town, picking up packages at the Post Office, or waiting tables at a local restaurant.
I’m a gun owner, and my husband is a retired combat veteran and former NRA instructor.
So why do I cringe every time I see these car decals, bumper stickers, and people packing side arms on the streets of my community?
I cringe because 2023 has been a record-breaking year for gun deaths and mass shootings in the U.S., with more than 200 so far. Just last week eight people, including children, were shot dead at an outlet mall in Allen, near Dallas Texas. With all of the shootings, the non-stop deaths, and constant sorrow, GOP lawmakers are silent about gun control, offering the usual “thoughts and prayers,” and discouraging control advocates to not politize such shootings.
TexasGov. Greg Abbott called the attack an “unspeakable tragedy,” saying that “our hearts are with the people of Allen, Texas.” Texas Senator Ted Cruz tweeted: “Heidi and I are praying for the families of the victims of the horrific mall shooting in Allen, Texas. We pray also for the broader Collin County community that’s in shock from this tragedy.”
The more astonishing response came from Texas Rep. Keith Self (who represents the town of Allen) who called for prayer after the mass shooting. When asked in an interview what his response was to people who feel “prayers aren’t cutting it,” Self replied, “Well, those are people that don’t believe in an almighty god who is absolutely in control of our lives.”
To add insult to injury, several GOP Congressional members sport lapel pins in the shape of miniature AR-15 rifles. The reps openly defend this shocking display of cold-heartedness by insisting that they are committed to the Second Amendment and the right to bear arms. AR-15-style semi-automatic rifles have been the shooter’s weapon of choice at Sandy Hook, Uvalde, Allen Texas, and the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas
Such flippant and heartless responses to the senseless loss of human life are grisly and mind-boggling. Why does the GOP repeatedly oppose gun control when the majority of Americans are in favor of it? According to a Gallup poll, 57% of Americans surveyed said they wanted stricter gun laws.
I wondered if the reason that GOP lawmakers refuse to even hear about stricter gun laws is money. For example, among the top recipients of NRA donations are Mitt Romney (UT), Richard Burr (NC), Thom Tillis (NC), and Marco Rubio (FL). In 2019, the NRA spent $3.22 million to benefit the campaigns of senators who oppose gun legislation, and in 2020, it spent $2.20 million.
Or is there another reason for Republicans to turn their backs on the safety of Americans, and that members in my community plaster AR-15 stickers on their cars?
Given the current cultural and political climate of our nation, perhaps the real reason gun rights advocates and their representatives in Washington vehemently oppose stricter gun laws is something more sinister. When I see someone with a side-arm at a store or out on the streets in my community, my immediate response is that person is looking for trouble, trying to intimidate, saying “Make my day.”
Intimidation, fear, and violence are how today’s hard-right gun advocates and most members of the GOP advocate for their wider political and societal goals. They don’t care about the loss of innocent lives, otherwise, we would have put strict gun control laws into place years ago. What they care about is staying in power, dominating and eliminating the “libs,” Democrats, blacks, progressives, drag queens, the LGBTQ+ community, Jews, feminists, unions, atheists, Muslims, unions, and any other group that doesn’t fit into their sick and twisted paradigm of what it means to be an American.
Let’s not turn a blind eye: Right-wing terrorism and neofascism are alive and well in our country, personified by uninterested legislators and the constituents who support them.
If we care about innocent lives that are lost on a daily basis, then we must advocate for life, for stricter gun laws, and vote the gun-toting, AR-15 lapel-pin-wearing kakistocrats out.