On August 27th thousand gathered at the Texas State Capitol to demand the raising of the age when can purchase an AR-15. Currently, it is at 18, and the families of those killed at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and victims’ families from across Texas and nationally spoke about wanting it moved to 21 as a first step.
It is clear that the end goal is to eliminate the sales of weapons of war to the public. This would be the most reasonable and humane action that a government could take if they really want to save lives.
The tears flowed as family members talked about the loss of their loved ones and the damage it has done to their families and community.
Everyone called for the governor to call a special session to deal with this issue. The Texas legislature meets only every two years and the citizens of Texas on Saturday were demanding the governor call for this most needed legislative session.
Many families of victims from Uvalde and other Texas cities said that the governor had promised them that he would take some action and he has not done anything to stop these mass shootings
It should be noted that the governor receives support from the NRA National Rifle Association which promotes the sale of AR-15s. The governor of Texas has also made it easier for guns to be purchased and worn in public.
Some surviving family members expressed that they had been republicans and even voted for Trump but that this loss and lack of positive response from the Republican officials have moved them away from those politicos. In fact, many were calling for Texas Governor Greg Abbott to do something to end the sale of these guns or they would vote him out of office.
I have spent more than 15 days in Texas and most of it in Uvalde talking to families of the victims and community leaders looking for ways to raise their voices and concerns and who want the gun laws changed.
At this rally on Saturday, we distributed 200 copies of my poem written on August 11th entitled Texas Has A Problem Y’ALL.
The November elections will soon be here and voters across our country must evaluate all the candidates and see where they stand on Weapons of War and other key issues.
Late last night we spent with Uvalde family members in a parking lot as an artist from Austin Ruben Esquivel was completing a most amazing mural of Alexandra Lexi Aniyah Rubio one of the victims of the school shootings. Lexi had a good sense of humor, was an athlete, and planned to become a lawyer. Her parents have been speaking out at rallies and to Congress demanding an end to this violence.
Murals of all the victims are appearing all over Uvalde and these beautiful art pieces are a reminder of all of the loss and demand that all of us stand against these senseless acts of violence and those who facilitate the purchase of these most destructive weapons.
TEXAS HAS A PROBLEM Y’ALL
Deep in the heart of Texas
They value AR-!5’s
More than the people
The Lone star state
has regulations
Has hunting seasons for animals
Demands you get a license
Controls how many you can kill
And does not allow automatic weapons
Like the AR-15
But there is an open season on innocent people
You can shoot them any time
Anywhere…
You don’t need a license
And you can kill as many as you want
You can not protect yourself with a face mask
Vaccines and multiple boosters will not help
The destructive bullets
From AR-15
destroy
Everything in their path
And there is no magic
To take away the pain
The scars of violence
Voices must be raised against
Those who manufacture
these killing weapons of destruction
And against those
who help to make them available
To everyone under the sun
Texas has a problem with guns
Yep
Texas has a problem Y’ALL
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