Gun control is definitely politics

I just watched Gov. Rick Scott’s news conference regarding the shooting at the Fort Lauderdale Airport. When asked about whether he would support gun control legislation, he responded by saying something like, “This is not a time to talk politics.”

Quite frankly, Mr. Scott’s answer is unacceptable. Gun control and the issues related to the loss of innocent lives due to inadequate gun control regulations is not “politics!?” Does he think perpetrators of gun violence ask their victims about political preferences when they spray a crowd of innocent people with bullets?

I previously contacted Rep. Vern Buchanan’s staff who refused to answer a direct question regarding his position on gun control legislation. I can only assume that now both he and Mr. Scott will continue to pander to the gun lobby.

The reporter’s question regarding gun control was reasonable. Most Republicans, Democrats and Independent voters agree measures should be taken to prevent these acts of senseless violence, and most agree we need sensible gun control legislation. This is not a partisan issue; it is about public safety and our elected officials should act in the interests of their constituents. In the past seven months, we have had two mass shooting incidents – Pulse Nightclub and Fort Lauderdale Airport. How many more of these incidents must we have before our elected officials in Florida put their constituents ahead of the gun lobby?

I hope my neighbors will do some soul-searching before they cast their next votes for candidates like Mr. Scott and Mr. Buchanan. We should not fear for our lives or our children’s lives when we go to the theater or send our children to school or use public transportation. We need our elected officials to enact legislation that ensures the public safety and protects their constituents.

This story was originally published January 9, 2017 at 2:28 PM with the headline "Gun control is definitely politics."