St. Louis Democrat: I am hopping mad; we have to stop insane gun violence

(From Rep. Stacey Newman, D-St. Louis)

The level of anger regarding our inability to stop this insane gun violence has come to a breaking point.  I feel it.  Do you?

I'm mad.  The Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood clinic's shooting upset me greatly.  Patients, friends, staff and physicians are literally putting their lives in danger as women seek basic reproductive healthcare.  Basic care, like visiting an OB/GYN, resulted in 3 people shot and killed with 9 others severely injured. Solely because of a man who should not have had access to a semi-automatic rifle.

I'm sickened.  Less than a week later at an office meeting, a married couple shot and killed 14 people and left 21 injured.  Now being treated as an act of terrorism, the couple should not have had access to unlimited ammunition and high power firearms. That same day in Savannah, Georgia another mass shooting occurred but didn't get the same media attention.

There is no official gun violence incident tracking system, let alone official government gun violence medical research allowed in our country (thanks to the NRA) but Mother Jones attempts to track mass shooting incidents in 2015 so far.

Then to top off last week, the U.S. Senate voted down common sense measures. A bill banning those on the federal terrorism watch list from purchasing firearms was defeated 45-54.  Then implementing federal background checks on all gun sales was defeated 48-50, even though over 90% of Americans want them.  Senator Roy Blunt voted NO with the gun lobby. Senator Claire McCaskill voted YES.

Are you as hopping mad as I am?  See more of Igor Volsky's tweets (of Center for American Progress) HERE. 

THE BILL I FILED ON THE FIRST DAY OF PRE-FILING

On December 1st I pre-filed HB1397, which would require firearm purchasers to undergo similiar restrictions that a woman must go through to access an abortion in Missouri.  Out of sheer frustration as to the blatant lack of concern towards our horrific gun violence, I modeled gun restrictions on our current state abortion statutes. My press statement HERE.

We had no idea that this bill would be so popular. And it would gain so much attention, not just throughout Missouri but all over the country, even going international.

The media attention has been pretty overwhelming.

Glamour, Esquire, Self, Teen Vogue, Daily Beast, Huffington Post, Jezebel, etc...

We were unprepared for the level of support from people from everywhere.

After Huffington Post published my email this past Friday, my office has been receiving predominantly favorable emails, about one every minute, if you can imagine that.  I am answering every single one - no matter how long it will take.

Voters are writing - who like you and me - are angry and incensed that women must be punished to access a legal medical procedure in Missouri while we allow anyone to purchase unlimited guns, no questions asked.

People throughout Missouri are mad that the GOP majority legislature could care less about our state's exploding gun violence - but make it a priority every session to play "political football" with additional punitive reproductive restrictions.  I am outraged that there is NO concern as to the effects on real people.

My bill hit a nerve.  And now even more people around the country are paying attention, which was my motive.

People like you and me are tired of seeing mass shootings over and over along with senseless violence in St. Louis and Kansas City ----without any action by those in charge in our State Capitol and Congress.

I would certainly welcome a hearing on HB1397 - very few of my bills have received one. Wouldn't that be excellent to allow the public - law enforcement, medical professionals, faith leaders, victim's families and even you to testify as to what REAL gun violence looks like and who REAL women are who need access to abortion care?

I have also filed additional firearm bills (with more coming), same as last year and the year before and the year before: universal background checks on all guns sales, gun violence restraining orders and keeping guns from convicted abusers and felons with a child access prevention bill coming soon.