Michigan House lawmakers mourn MSU shooting victims, call for action
Michigan House lawmakers gathered in Lansing Wednesday for the first time since the shootings at Michigan State University to offer their condolences and issue passionate pleas for legislative action to address gun violence after the rampage left three students dead and five injured.
Before adopting a memorial resolution, lawmakers stood and clapped for the first responders and 911 dispatchers who worked Monday night and into Tuesday to chase down the suspected gunman and protect students.
The Michigan House includes MSU alumni and parents. One lawmaker − state Rep. Joseph Aragona, R-Clinton Township − currently attends the school as a graduate student. He said he was at a restaurant Monday night across from the MSU Union during the shootings when staff told him to move to the back and locked in patrons.
"There is not a single person in this chamber unaffected by this event," said state Rep. John Fitzgerald, D-Wyoming. "There is not one of us without an MSU connection back home in our districts. Our constituents are hurting."
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Those who represent East Lansing in the state House mourned the victims and vowed to do what they can as lawmakers to prevent a future tragedy.
"Michigan State University is renowned across the world for academic excellence, groundbreaking research and championship athletics," said state Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou, D-East Lansing. "Now we solemnly add site of America's last mass shooting to that list.”
State Rep. Julie Brixie, D-Meridian Township, pledged action. "While our Legislature has failed you in the past, we will not make that mistake again," she said.
Legislation introduced by Democrats in the past stalled under GOP control of the state Legislature. Now Democrats hold majorities in the state House and Senate and plan to introduce gun safety measures backed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer: universal background checks, allowing extreme risk protection orders to keep guns away from those deemed a danger to themselves or others and instituting safe storage requirements.
State Rep. Christine Morse, D-Texas Township, called inaction on gun violence over the years "inexcusable."
"I don't care if I don't get reelected because this is about the people of this state and children who need to go to school in safety," she said over tears speaking on the House floor.
While it remains unclear whether the gun safety proposals Democrats plan to put forward will garner wide bipartisan support, some Republican representatives who spoke in the chamber Wednesday made a general call for lawmakers to pursue policy proposals to address gun violence and mental health issues.
"This is an issue that will require a concerted effort from this entire body of legislators," said Aragona. He called on lawmakers "to work together to find the best solutions to end this senseless violence."
Students shouldn't "have to be sacrificed for our learning," said state Rep. Emily Dievendorf, D-Lansing. "No more hard lessons."
Clara Hendrickson fact-checks Michigan issues and politics as a corps member with Report for America, an initiative of The GroundTruth Project. Make a tax-deductible contribution to support her work at bit.ly/freepRFA. Contact her at chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743. Follow her on Twitter @clarajanehen.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan House lawmakers mourn MSU shooting victims
