SEMI-AUTO RIFLE BAN of 2022 FAILURES

We cannot base the safety of our children on the hopes that guns will just disappear

Reps. Longhurst, Schwartzkopf, Mitchell, Bolden, Griffith, Lynn, Bentz, Chuckwuocha, Freel, Heffernan, K Johnson, Kowalko, Minor-Brown, S Moore along with Sens. Poore, Gay, Lockman, Pinkney, and McBride have sneakily circulated a draft of a bill based on emotions and intending to ban a long list of commonly owned rifles in a knee-jerk reaction to yet another PREVENTABLE massacre of our Nation’s children.

Why do we say Sneakily? This bill was kept from all pro 2A Lawmakers and only circulated to those known for putting Bloomberg’s promises of political backing above the safety of their own constituents. This “bill” doesn’t even have a bill number, making it solely a draft. So, why or how is it circulating for sponsorship?

Today, Wednesday, June 1st, 2022 the bill was released to the full Legislature with requests for sponsorship to be submitted by the end of the day.

As with the past 4 school massacres, there were indicators that should have been heeded. Each shooter made statements, kill lists, rape lists, public social media posts, and had had a history of violence pointing toward the potential for serious future violence.

Each of these gunmen were able to freely enter the school, unlike lawful indiviuals who follow district protocols. Unlocked or propped doors are the biggest failure in safety protocol followed by politically run law enforcement agencies who must heed directions from “higher powers” to stand down.

Violent individuals are continuing to be provided the means and the opportunity to mow down our children through failures like these along with changes in laws and policies that control the systems in place.

Reviewing the list of more than 30 Internal Reform Measures for Criminal Prosecution, it is easy to see how Delaware’s rate of violence has exploded into our communities. Mental health providers have long waiting lists (6+ months) for services, probation and parole is understaffed, a mass movement of expungement fairs headed by Delaware’s resident criminal Senator (Darius Brown) and an all out refusal to file charges has led to mass chaos within our streets. For what? Criminal Justice AKA justice for the criminal? A fair system? Fair for who? Certainly not the victims and community members who suffer while silenced by their own elected members of representation.

You can see the list of reforms our AG has been and is continuing to implement by clicking the link below:

https://news.delaware.gov/2019/02/18/rm/

In addition, the mental health system is designed to ensure the rights of the individuals in their care are protected. Which is absolutely a good thing…. until you realize the polices are detrimental to the community in certain aspects.

What do we mean? Even those brought in by police for violent and dangerous behaviors due to mental illnesses are asked if they want to be there voluntarily or involuntarily. It is required by law that the facility housing them ask the patient this question within 24-48 hours. What would you choose, voluntary or involuntary commital?

Those choosing to be there voluntarily do not fall under the Red Flag law which would prohibit them from purchasing/owning/possessing a deadly weapon. The only persons who can be adjudicated mentally ill and prohibited from exercising their 2nd Amendment rights are those who are involuntarily committed which must be done through the courts. So, while Red Flag laws protect us from the most dangerous and those who do not mentally function well enough to try and hide their violence…. these laws, systems, and procedures fail miserably otherwise.

This bill, titled “Assault Weapons Ban 2022”, fails our children right out of the gate as it only addresses the object while ignoring the individual, the failures of the systems & procedures, and never once addresses how every single red flag perpetrated by the shooter was ignored prior to each school masacre.

With 400 MILLION rifles in the hands of United States citizens, a ban on commonly owned rifles or their accessories does absolutely nothing.

Join us in demanding actual change for the safety of our children and communities by asking your Rep and Senator to put party politics aside, support HB 423 and bring back the FTAP so dangerous indiviuals don’t continue slipping through the cracks.