(Opinion) Republicans, the National Rifle Association, and gun advocates have come under attack after the latest school shooting in Parkland, Florida. Many of those blaming these groups are telling anyone who will listen that they are not coming after legal and safe gun owners. The rhetoric sounds a bit different this time with AL.com publishing a piece from a regular columnist, Clete Wetli, telling Alabamians “Sorry, some of your guns have got to go.” For decades Democrats have fought against this assertion, claiming it was a scare tactic to sell guns and get votes, now candidates for Congress are jumping on board:
I just talked with some #Veterans who told me that no civilian should have access to an AR-15 or similar weapon. They were all for confiscation. #MomsDemandAction #VoteThemOut #Isner2018 pic.twitter.com/OOVRBzWy5c
— Tabitha Isner (@TabithaK) February 24, 2018
Why this matters: This is out of touch with mainstream America and completely out of touch with Alabama voters. Yes, Americans want stronger gun laws right now, but they want more stringent background checks, they want the mentally ill to be unable to get access to firearms, and they want law enforcement to do its job. What Americans, and Alabamians specifically, do not want is someone saying they are going to confiscate their guns. If Alabama Democrats continue to talk like this, and people actually hear them, they are going to be in big trouble.
The details:
— Most in Alabama would view the state as a very pro-gun place, but “Guns and Ammo” magazine only ranks the state as the 18th “Best State for Gun Owners”.
— American voters support some form of gun control in the wake of the shooting in Parkland at a 2-to-1 margin.
— 87 percent want increased spending on mental health screening, 75 percent back strengthening background checks, and 44 percent of Americans say they want to arm teachers.
— President Donald Trump is considering a move to take guns away from dangerous individuals.
Dale Jackson hosts a daily radio show from 7-11 a.m. on NewsTalk 770 AM/92.5 FM WVNN and a weekly television show, “Guerrilla Politics,” on WAAY-TV, both in North Alabama. Follow him @TheDaleJackson.
