On Tuesday, President Joe Biden went to Monterey Park — the site of a deadly mass shooting in January — not only to console the still grieving California community, but also to announce his executive actions aimed at trying to contain the epidemic of gun violence. The president’s pronouncements were his latest attempt to demonstrate leadership in the face of entrenched Republican recalcitrance to passing meaningful gun control legislation. “Enough. Do something,” he said, quoting Americans mourning those lost in mass shootings.
The president’s pronouncements were his latest attempt to demonstrate leadership in the face of entrenched Republican recalcitrance to passing meaningful gun control legislation.
While many of the measures he offered reflected the reality of playing defense in the fight against lawmakers who are backed by the National Rifle Association, at least one of his strategies presents a chance to take the gloves off, a chance he should take. He directed “…members of his Cabinet to encourage effective use of extreme risk protection orders, including by “partnering with law enforcement, health care providers, educators, and other community leaders.”
Encouraging the use of these so-called red flag laws through partnership with law enforcement is great. (As many as 19 states and the District of Columbia have enacted red flag laws, which allow residents to petition a court to determine whether an individual is dangerous, and then to temporarily remove that individual’s access to firearms until the nature of the threat is determined.) But we also need penalties for law enforcement leaders who refuse to partner with the federal government and decline to do their jobs. Because remarkably, there are local law enforcement leaders who refuse to use their authority to seize firearms while they investigate the threat as reported by residents, and are on record as refusing to do this — even when their states permit it.
We need the Justice…
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