MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Big business and lawmakers seem to be going in the opposite direction when it comes to meaningful ways to prevent assault weapons from getting into the wrong hands.
First, Dick’s Sporting Goods announced it will end the sale of assault style weapons and large capacity magazines. Then Walmart followed that by saying it will no longer sell any guns to people under 21 – a policy that is already in place at Dick’s Sporting Goods.
But as those announcements were making headlines, members of the Tennessee legislature were making their own path. One group of lawmakers created a bill that would arm teachers while another approved a plan to allow off-duty officers go armed at schools as a way to fight back against possible mass shootings.
So there you have it.
A growing number of private businesses are responding to deadly mass killings by doing what they can to cut down on the sale of high powered guns. As lawmakers search for any solution that does not restrict the sale of any guns to virtually anyone.
It goes to show that we cannot rely on skittish politicians to address this critical national issue.
– Otis Sanford