In the wake of the mass shooting in Dadeville where four people were killed and 32 others injured, some Democrats in the Legislature are pushing for stricter gun control laws.
“Thoughts and Prayers alone are NOT enough!! WE MUST ACT NOW!” State Rep. Merika Coleman (D-Birmingham) said on Twitter.
Thursday on Capitol Journal I said, “I don’t want us in Alabama to have to RESPOND to a MASS SHOOTING before we DO something!! 2 days later the mass shooting in Dadeville happened. Thoughts and Prayers alone are NOT enough!! WE MUST ACT NOW! #DadevilleAlabama #commonsensegunlaws pic.twitter.com/2PQNlgM0SP
— Sen. Merika Coleman, M.P.A., J.D. (@RepColeman) April 17, 2023
Coleman wants the Legislature to take up her bill that would implement “red flag” laws in the state.
State Sen. Jay Hovey (R-Dadeville) responded to the calls for more gun control during a speech on the Senate floor this week.
“I’ve been honored to get to know the good people of Dadeville in Tallapoosa County over the last year and my heart goes out to the entire community over these tragic events,” Hovey said. “People are going to try to politicize this event as so many others that break our hearts, but I’m going to tell you now, and you’ll hear me so over and over again over the next years that we work together that we’re never going to be able to legislate morality.
“The evil in this world that continues to devastate our communities across the country can only be defeated in the hearts and minds and homes and churches of these communities.”
While Hovey believes gun control is not the answer, he did acknowledge the role of lawmakers in keeping cities safe.
“They’ll be discussions on this floor and in legislative bodies across this country about the responsibility of legislators,” he said. “While, of course, we have the responsibility to do everything we can to protect our communities, this war will only be won by changing hearts.”
Coleman reacted to Hovey’s speech, arguing that her bill would be a step in the right direction in the fight against gun violence.
“The bill that I have in my opinion at this point would not have prevented what happened in Dadeville,” she said, “but it’s a tool in the toolbox that law enforcement can have to get guns out of people’s hands who pose a threat to themselves or others.”
She also said “red flag” laws are not just supported by Democrats.
“They are bipartisan, or I would even say nonpartisan,” she said. “Other conservative states in response to a mass shooting have had to pass these. Just last week I was saying that I hope we would not have to do something in response to a mass shooting, and then Dadeville happened.”
Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee
Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to have Alabama’s leading headlines delivered to your inbox.