As I watched the student walkouts on March 14, I was impressed by the numbers and the enthusiasm of these young Americans, but I think we should be very cautious about expecting great results.
Marco Rubio of Florida has just sponsored a good sounding bill for gun control but he, and others like him, refuse to take aim on the real issue: automatic and semi-automatic weapons.
You know, just a week or so ago, at a televised town hall meeting, Rubio was asked by one of the students if he would pledge not to accept money from the National Rifle Association. You should have seen Mr. Rubio dance around the question.
He would not commit.
It was really something to see, and therein is the problem—the NRA money.
The answer is clear.
We and/or the students need to ask every senator and every member of the House the question, “Will you pledge not to accept money from the NRA?”
Until we get a majority to answer, “Yes,” we will not have a Congress that will take appropriate action and ban these killing machines.
It’s a simple question, and if honesty prevails, it is a question that can and should be answered either, “yes” or “no” without dancing around it as Mr. Rubio did.
Marches are good, walkouts are fine, but let’s ask the question.
Ask the question, ask the question, ask the question.
When our politicians realize that we are evaluating their answers, then perhaps we can make real progress.
Richard Myers
Valencia