Democratic Party Platform short on specific steps that can be taken in the state of Rhode Island to reduce gun violence
As Rhode Island’s grassroots gun violence prevention organization the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence (RICAGV) is gratified to see that the the Democratic Party of Rhode Island has at last recognized that there is “a serious issue with gun violence in our country,” and has for the first time acknowledged that gun violence is a public health issue. Since its inception the RICAGV has advocated treating gun violence as a public health issue, and has worked closely with experts in the field of public health to recommend legislation that will save lives in Rhode Island.
Unfortunately, the party platform to be voted on at tonight’s meeting at 5:00 pm at the Southside Cultural Center of Rhode Island at 393 Broad Street is short on specific steps that can be taken in the state of Rhode Island to reduce gun violence. The RI Democratic Party shifts much of the responsibility for action to the federal government, calling on the Congress to “enact legislation to require unlicensed gun sellers at gun shows and private gun dealers to conduct the same instant background checks that licensed dealers need to conduct,” and to allow “the Centers for Disease Control to study this issue.”
We support those calls, but also acknowledge that given the current national political climate the federal government is unlikely to take meaningful action in the near future. This makes it all the more essential that action be taken on the state level, and unfortunately the RI Democratic Party platform does not list steps that the Rhode Island General Assembly could take right now to make the state safer. These steps include:
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Passing legislation that would keep guns out of Rhode Island K-12 schools by restricting the concealed carry of firearms to law enforcement in a way that is consistent with current Rhode Island Department of Education policy.
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Banning high capacity magazines and military style assault weapons in Rhode Island.
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Fighting any steps to weaken our current gun laws, including resisting efforts by the gun lobby to pass concealed carry reciprocity legislation that would force Rhode Island to recognize concealed carry permits from other states.
While it is disappointing that that the Rhode Island Democratic Party did not embrace these specific steps that would make Rhode Island safer right now, the RICAGV will continue to advocate for them in 2019, and will hold politicians of any and all political parties responsible for their votes.