The Time to Act is Now
Letters to the Editor
To the Editor:
Governor Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Patrick, Speaker Phelan and Texas GOP Legislators: Not surprisingly, you’ve again rolled out your thoughts and prayers recitation followed by your “now is not the time for politics” mantra.
Well, had the victims’families and concerned community members waited for your approval (after the next mass shooting, the one after that, …?) they wouldn’t have rallied all these many months to make their voices heard in the Capitol, where, last Monday, HB 2744 passed by an 8-5 vote in committee, a simple recommendation for inclusion on the House agenda this session. Unfortunately, by Tuesday at midnight, House Calendar Chair Dustin Burrows had failed to add it to the calendar.
For those of you who have not witnessed what goes on during the legislative session, where the general public can sit in the House Gallery, I must say, after doing so three separate times this session, the procedure leaves a less than a positive impression. Case in point: during Monday’s session, which was posted to begin at 10 a.m., maybe a sixth of House members were on the floor by that time. My cohorts and I, who had just driven two hours to attend, and who were also required to leave our signs and water bottles at the door (as per protocol), were instructed to sit quietly while in the Gallery. A fellow visitor to the Capitol building had previously reminded us that loud conversation, applause, or audible responses on our part could be met with ejection from the room (or, as in the case of vocal LGBTQ protesters earlier this month, forcible removal by armed guards.)
Fifty minutes late, the session was called to order. It was explained to us by legislative staffers, that this kind of thing happens all the time. One cannot help but think that if we all clocked in nearly an hour late to our jobs that we might not still have those jobs. It is also interesting that our Texas GOP members are hellbent on getting rid of tenure in our state universities when they them-selves won’t discuss term limits— never mind the tradition of students walking out of a classroom if the professor is 15 minutes late.
After reciting the US and Texas Pledge, the House discussed a couple of initiatives, and recognized friends and family of a recently deceased Texas politician. A high school academics team was also commended. Then House members stood up to express their solidarity with Representative Jeff Leach, whose district includes the city of Allen. Expectably, the representative’s comments were what we’ve heard before with no mention about gun safety reform in spite of the hundred voices calling for it in the Rotunda just minutes earlier.
When our leaders tell us it is “too soon” to act, we must say, no, it tragically is too late for far too many. When a mother’s face is left unrecognizable or the child under her body only survived because she herself was a human shield, the time to act is now. When politicians offer empty platitudes instead of sitting down with victims’ family members tohear their storiesand their requests (instead of making them wait 13 hours at the Capitol for a chance to speak), the time to act is now. When members of the party of Reagan (who once declared, “There is absolutely no reason why out on the street today a civilian should be carrying a loaded weapon”) use the second amendment as excuse to dismiss a simple “Raise the Age” bill, the time to act is now. When 18-year olds (some of whom are still in high school) can’t legally purchase a pack of cigarettes or beer but can legally buy a weapon of war, the time to act is now. When fear is what drives us apart and what drives up the profits of the gun lobby (and its bankrolled politicians), the time to act is now.And when 74% ofTexans want to see common sense gun reform but are worse than ignored—they are further endangered—by their so-called representatives, the time to act is now.
We must have the courage to do so. Too many in our state government simply don’t.