Attorney General Kris Mayes sticks a finger in the burst dam of gun violence

Many (if not most) things politicians do are symbolic, empty gestures meant to appease the voters who put them in office but that, in the end, accomplish nothing.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes appeared to do something like that on Wednesday.

But, she didn’t.

Mayes joined a bunch of attorneys general in asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit to back the federal government’s prohibition on the sale of handguns and handgun ammunition by federally licensed retailers to individuals under the age of 21.

This after a federal judge in Virginia ruled that a law banning such sales violates the Second Amendment.

Mayes asks for 'critical safeguard' to stand

Perhaps hizzonor believes it’s a good idea to put even more deadly weapons into the hands of individuals for whom the parts of the brain responsible for impulse control and rational judgement have not yet fully developed.

Mayes said in a statement, “Protecting our communities from gun violence requires multiple solutions, including laws already on the books. For nearly 60 years, federal law has prohibited the sale of handguns from federally licensed dealers to individuals under 21.

“The Second Amendment allows for such age-based restrictions, and I urge the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to affirm the district court ruling and allow this critical safeguard to stand.”

Mayes made her announcement on the one-year anniversary of the massacre — by an 18-year-old gunman — of 19 fourth graders at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

Eighteen others were injured.

Americans want solutions to gun violence

It also came on a day when a NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll showed that more Americans than ever believe curbing gun violence is more important than protecting gun rights.

Unfortunately, we can’t agree on how to do that.

Republican lawmakers, long in the pocket of the gun lobby, pretend to be puzzled about legislative actions that would help ameliorate the gun violence problem.

It’s an act.

Safer Communities Act: Sinema talks about rollout of gun law

They know exactly what could be done. They just don’t want to do it.

An article in Politico perfectly illustrated that situation by quoting two Texas congressmen on the Uvalde anniversary.

The Republican, Rep. Tony Gonzales said, “We can’t allow this to be normal. This can’t be ‘oh, it’s just another shooting.’

“We also can’t think it can’t happen to us. I mean, we never thought Uvalde would happen, small rural community, but the world is changed — and how do we come up with solutions?”

Don't expect any courage from Congress

The Democrat, Rep. Joaquin Castro answered that question in a tweet, saying, “We know how to stop school shootings. We know that assault weapon bans, universal background checks, and a higher age for gun purchases will save American lives.

“The teachers and children who died cannot change the law. But we can honor their memories but having the courage to act.”

Courage? Congress? Not likely.

Given that, the very least we can do is try to prevent the situation from getting worse.

That’s what Mayes and the other attorneys general are doing.

There’s a little bit of courage in that.

Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kris Mayes sticks a finger in the burst dam of gun violence