In the wake of Sunday’s sniper massacre of dozens of partygoers in Las Vegas, U.S. Senator Patty Murray tweeted on Monday about the urgent need for gun regulation in America.
The tweet storm began with a statement of personal empathy:
As a mother and grandmother myself, my heart hurts for the many parents who got the call that their child is among the victims.
— Senator Patty Murray (@PattyMurray) October 2, 2017
Then the Democratic senator from Washington localized the issue of gun violence:
This violence is happening in every corner of our country, including Washington state, where families are still dealing with a deadly shooting that happened barely 2 weeks ago.
— Senator Patty Murray (@PattyMurray) October 2, 2017
Murray was apparently referring to the school shooting near Spokane on September 13, wherein one student killed another with a pistol and wounded three more. For Murray, the steady pace of mass shootings in America is unacceptable:
No parent should have to worry whether their child will return home safe from a day at school. No child should have to worry about whether their parent will return home safe from a night at a concert.
— Senator Patty Murray (@PattyMurray) October 2, 2017
She decried the common “thoughts and prayers” response from do-nothing politicians to mass shootings:
None of us should fall back on justifications, blame, or tweeted thoughts and prayers and think we’ve done enough to keep our families, friends and neighbors safe.
— Senator Patty Murray (@PattyMurray) October 2, 2017
Then Murray called for elected leaders to unite around a pragmatic response to the ongoing epidemic of gun violence in America:
I refuse to believe the politics are too tough to come together on common sense policies & do whatever we possibly can to keep our children safe.
— Senator Patty Murray (@PattyMurray) October 2, 2017
We can't and shouldn't sit by as innocent Americans suffer rampant gun violence that is unmatched in any other country in the world.
— Senator Patty Murray (@PattyMurray) October 2, 2017
Murray finished off the tweet storm with a call to action, and an implicit rebuke to the idea that mass shootings shouldn’t be politicized:
Many people may be saying now is not the time to talk about gun safety, but like so many moms and dads in our country, I want to know – if not now, when?
— Senator Patty Murray (@PattyMurray) October 2, 2017
Earlier today, U.S. Congress Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-7) tweeted similar sentiments:
Las Vegas shooting is absolutely horrific. My heart goes out to the victims and their families. We need bold solutions to end gun violence.
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) October 2, 2017
Congress must stop turning a blind eye to this epidemic that has claimed thousands of innocent lives.
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) October 2, 2017
She also retweeted a letter from Democratic House minority leader Nancy Pelosi to House Speaker Paul Ryan outlining immediate steps for advancing “common sense” gun reforms:
.@SpeakerRyan, it’s time for action. Congress must create a Select Committee on Gun Violence. pic.twitter.com/yCpMOUKJKg
— Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) October 2, 2017
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