Texas state rep rips GOP over gun bill: ‘We have ignored God’s messengers’
Texas state Rep. James Talarico (D-Round Rock) slammed his Republican colleagues Tuesday for considering legislation to loosen gun regulations, just days after eight people were killed in a mass shooting outside of Dallas.
“You can’t offer thoughts and prayers on Monday and then debate a bill to loosen gun regulations on Tuesday,” Talarico, who is currently studying to become a Presbyterian minister, said from the House floor.
“I believe in the power of prayer,” he continued. “I believe prayer can change lives. I believe prayer can change the world. But there is something profoundly cynical about asking God to solve a problem that we’re not willing to solve ourselves. God moves, God works through us. God has no other hands but our hands.”
Eight people were killed and seven others were injured when a gunman opened fire at an outlet mall in Allen, Texas, on Saturday. Three of the victims were young children, including two elementary school-age sisters and a 3-year-old boy.
Talarico pointed to the various efforts those affected by gun violence have made to advocate for gun safety measures, particularly in the wake of the Uvalde shooting last year that left 19 children and two adults dead.
“We prayed and God sent moms from all over the state from both political parties to advocate for gun safety,” Talarico said. “We prayed and God sent families from Uvalde to travel 160 miles to advocate for gun safety. We prayed and God sent our colleague from Uvalde to bring a bill that would prevent tragedies from happening in the future.”
“We have ignored God’s messengers,” he added. “This is moral madness, and this is not the Texas House I know … I know many of you are worried about your conservative scorecards, but the only scorecard that matters is God’s and all of us are failing.”
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