It is very disheartening to learn that the U.S. Senate Republicans blocked a House bill to ban assault weapons on Dec. 6, 2023. Both Oklahoma senators opposed the bill. We should not have been surprised, but this is very disappointing. We are waiting for them to step up and do the right thing ― protect our families and neighbors.
We do not feel an assault weapons ban infringes on Second Amendment rights. Hunters and sportsmen can own as many hunting amd sporting weapons as they want. They just would not be able to purchase a weapon of war with its terrible destructive power! If the sale of assault weapons continues, what new weapon of war will be offered for sale next? We believe an assault weapons ban is simply keeping the weapons of war out of public distribution and reserving them for the police and military.
The U.S. has had 657 mass shootings in 2023, according to the Gun Violence Archive. This averages to almost two mass shootings a day. Those shootings contributed to the 42,983 gun violence deaths in 2023. Since the Parkland school shooting, there have been over 280,000 people killed from gun violence. These gun violence victims’ right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness came to a tragic end. Why are legislators not concerned with preserving those rights?