In his latest must-read, Bloomberg’s Frank Wilkinson discusses the tragic deaths of three young women and analyzes why only one led to action from the GOP. Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives, under Republican direction, passed “Kate’s Law”.
Wilkinson points out that Donald Trump and other Republicans’ reaction to Kate Steinle’s death has been entirely political, selling a narrative that portrays immigrants as dangerous and passing legislation that wouldn’t even address the underlying issues. He notes:
The murders of Bianca Roberson and Miosotis Familia are less politically potent. Roberson was black, and Familia was Hispanic.
Roberson is reported to have been killed by a white man who became enraged when he and Roberson were jockeying for the same highway lane. Guns are freely, legally sold to insecure men with hair-trigger emotions and minimal self-control. Such men, when armed, are dangerous, as Roberson’s death once again confirms.
Yet Republicans in Congress aren’t eager to highlight laws that enable reckless, dangerous men to carry loaded semi-automatic weapons wherever they go. And the politicians have no intention of offering remedies for the violence that sometimes results.
There will be no Bianca’s Law.
“This fact may not be surprising to anyone following the news, but it’s certainly another sad commentary on the values and priorities of the Republican Party,” said Lynn Tramonte, Deputy Director of America’s Voice Education Fund.
Wilkinson’s entire piece is available online here.
