NRA's La Pierre--Florida youth strike back. Photo: Gage Skidmore--Flickr
[Speaking Truth To Power]
Last Friday, there was a very positive development in the wake of the Valentine's Day Massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, that ended the lives of 17 students and school personnel in Florida; new gun control legislation was passed by Florida legislators.
It was the first time in over 20 years that Florida passed new gun control legislation, and by a Republican-controlled legislature. The measure was signed into law by the state's Republican Governor Rick Scott.
The lesson here is: any obstacle—even those erected by politically powerful and wealthy organizations like the National Rifle Association (NRA), and their death merchants—can be defeated with determined activism, especially, if it is spear-headed by youth and strong sustained protests. The Marjory Stoneman students have won the first round in this fight against the NRA and those who oppose sensible gun laws. The broader battle will be a longer one.
Indeed this law is only a start; it's by no means a perfect bill. Still, how many of us expected anything of substance to be done after this Florida shooting, which is just one of many mass shootings that occurs with regularity in America?
Friday, Governor Scott signed Senate Bill 7026 into law, making it the first gun-control measure enacted after the deadly school shooting in Parkland, Florida, on February 14. The law, known as the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, has several noteworthy provisions.
For one thing, it bans the sale or possession of bump fire stocks, which when attached to semi-automatic weapons alters their capability by allowing them to fire more bullets faster. The new legislation now permits law enforcement to seize weaponry from those deemed mentally unfit. It also introduces a three-day waiting period on all gun sales.
However, the most common-sense part of the legislation has already provoked legal action by the NRA. The law has raised the legal age for buying guns from 18 to 21. A violation of this part of the law is punishable by $5,000 and five years in prison.
In the aftermath of this school shooting many have, rightly, asked: why should an 18-year old—who wouldn't be able to buy beer or cigarettes—be able to purchase firearms? This age-requirement part of the law apparently exempts those who work as law enforcement officers and security personnel.
Many politicians, primarily Democrats, seem to agree the age of purchasing firearms should be raised to 21. Yet, this raises another troubling question that should be pondered here, which is: if it’s now wrong to sell guns to those under the age of 21, is it not also wrong to send them to war to kill people “over there”? This is a conversation for another column.
Not surprisingly, the NRA filed a lawsuit against the State of Florida only one hour after the bill was signed into law. Named in the suit were Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and Florida Department of Law
