It’s time for government leaders to ‘do something’ about gun violence

Do something! Ohioans shouted that at their governor on Sunday night. During a vigil for nine people slain in Dayton early Sunday, they told Gov. Mike Dewine with shouts of "Do something!" that thoughts and prayers are not enough.

We need action.

We need a governor and state lawmakers who are willing to do the right thing and do something to end gun violence. The same message is going up to Congress and the president from across the country: Do something!

There isn't a single solution, so this is complicated but not impossible.

First, lawmakers, extract yourselves from the pockets of special interests and start working for the people of Ohio who are demanding that you do something to stop the senseless loss of life.

Stop eroding the few restrictions we still have on gun ownership in this state and nation.

For starters, pass a "red flag" law that allows authorities to take guns from unstable people who are dangers to themselves and others. Former Gov. John Kasich had legislation to do that toward the end of his term but couldn’t get it through the Ohio General Assembly.

Dewine promised to finish the job but has yet to produce a draft. He should have heard clearly on Sunday that Ohioans are running out of patience.

Then tighten up background checks for gun buyers, including sales at so-called gun shows where firearms trade flies unfettered below the radar.

Ohioans for Gun Safety already has language prepared to require background checks for sales not handled by federally licensed firearms dealers. The organization is collecting signatures to put its proposal on the statewide ballot in 2020.

That’s a long time to wait for a move that legislators should enact now.

Even before the weekend’s newest mass shootings, new Quinnipiac University poll results released at the end of July showed 90% of Ohioans, including 87% of gun owners, support background checks on all gun sales.

In other words, Ohioans want their legislators to do something!

Instead of acting to prevent senseless bloodletting, Republican legislators who control both chambers of the Ohio General Assembly have put their efforts behind making it easier for Ohioans to carry their firearms of choice with little government interference, and that’s just wrong.

In Washington

D.C., the U.S. House of Representatives in February approved two background check bills — H.R. 8, to prohibit gun sales between individuals without a background check, and H.R. 1112, to require gun dealers to wait at least 10 days for results of a background check before finalizing a sale.

Unforgivably, Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell has prevented his Republican-controlled chamber from even considering that legislation.

Beyond background checks, it is unconscionable that state and federal laws allow unfettered purchase of the kind of 100-bullet barrels of ammunition used in Dayton. As Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl noted, even police officers don’t carry that much firepower.

America should not be a country that allows civilians to brandish weapons of war with 100-round magazines.

Finally, a culture of hate and division that has been stoked by President Donald Trump must end. He said on Monday that "hate has no place in America." Mental health resources need funding and attention to be able to help troubled people and perhaps keep them from expressing their rage with guns.

We can’t repeat it enough: Do something!