Act now on gun violence pandemic

Here we go again on the endless and unresolved debate on gun control legislation.

The mass murders in Colorado and Georgia last week were horrifying reminders that this country has utterly failed to establish universal policies that will end these wanton killings.

We’ve read that the pandemic put a temporary stop on mass shootings. As if. Consider that since 2013, there have been 2,000 mass shootings in the U.S. – about one a day. The list is numbing: Sandy Hook, Parkland, Las Vegas, Gilroy … marching toward Atlanta and Boulder, Colo.

In his news conference last week, President Biden said he was “devastated” by the killing of 10 people at a grocery store in Boulder and called on Congress not to “wait another minute ” in enacting legislation to ban assault rifles and high-capacity ammunition magazines.

But we know they will wait another minute and then some. Passing a federal ban on assault weapons may not be possible under the current Senate filibuster rules.

But there’s no excuse for Congress not to move forward on closing the loopholes on background checks for sales of firearms or requiring waiting periods before purchases to prevent impulsive violence.

Polls show the vast majority of Americans , including Republicans, favor universal background checks on gun purchases. Even a majority of gun owners and NRA members favor expanded background checks on firearms purchases.

The Brady Background Check System, passed by Congress in 1994, has prevented an estimated 4 million prohibited gun transactions. But the law failed to require background checks for gun purchases by private parties, commonly at gun shows or online. As a result, an estimated 22% of gun sales bypass the system.

The suspect accused of opening fire inside the Colorado supermarket and killing 10 people was 21-yearold Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa who legally purchased an assault weapon just six days before the attack at a local gun store after passing a background check. He also had a second weapon with him that he didn’t use. His family has indicated he may have been suffering a mental illness.

Alissa was convicted in 2018 of misdemeanor assault and sentenced to probation and community service. Colorado has a universal background check law covering almost all gun sales, but misdemeanor convictions generally do not prevent people from purchasing weapons.

The man charged in the Atlanta mass shooting reportedly bought a gun on the same day of the shooting. He passed an instant background check and walked out of the store with his weapon. There was no waiting period.

But, gun homicide rates have declined in California. Here’s why:

California already requires universal background checks for all gun sales and transfers, and has banned military-style weapons for decades. The state also limits ammunition magazines to 10 rounds and requires a 10-day wait before a buyer can take possession of a firearm. A next step is to ensure all firearms are registered and sales only go through gun dealers to ensure compliance. As noted, there are too many exemptions on private party gun sales.

California has other laws that could potentially have prevented the mass shootings. Among them is a redflag law that allows concerned family members, coworkers and law enforcement to obtain a court order to temporarily remove guns from people who appear to be an imminent threat of harming themselves or others.

Locally, reporting stolen guns to police should be an ongoing public outreach program as should gun buyback efforts that remove unwanted firearms from homes where they are no longer desired. A 2018 program by local law enforcement brought in 618 handguns, rifles, shotguns and assault rifles for destruction. It was a one-time event and it was expensive. We’d like to see funding for more of these programs.

Finally, we want to see concerted effort by the federal and state governments to address mental health issues, including establishing adequate funding for expanded treatment.

Congress needs to act, now. Let your elected representatives know you expect them to fight for meaningful gun control legislation.