Much has been made of the grandstanding efforts on the part of Democrats–both in Washington and Tallahassee–to make the case for progress on some kind of meaningful gun control measures. Whether trying a ’60s style sit-in on the House floor or resurrecting an obscure state law to prompt a special Florida session, they were both gimmicks with no chance of success.
Having said that, however, grandstanding has value–when traditional approaches fail and appeals to common sense go unheeded. And when an issue is too important to leave its laser-like spotlight.
Especially when what preceded these long-shot efforts was the deadliest mass shooting in American history. Especially when the comments of Florida Gov. Rick Scott were what typically passed for reasons to reject gun restrictions–from an assault-weapons ban to better background checks. For the record, Scott said: “The Second Amendment didn’t kill anyone.”
No it didn’t, but this is disingenuousness to die for, for constitutional cherrypicking and NRA fealty has unnecessarily enabled firearm deaths of innocents.
So you resort to grandstanding.
It’s why a post-Pulse edition of the Boston Globe featured a front page that included a full-size image of a semiautomatic rifle and a bullet entry wound shown in actual size. On the back page was an outline of a lower leg exit wound caused by an AR-15 rifle.
It’s why some lawmakers resort to political theater. Maybe the sheer embarrassment of being part of the problem will shame some of the usual suspects into doing what’s right for their country–instead of doing what’s right-wing for their party and their political careers.