President Trump addressed the nation Monday morning after two evil cowards carried out separate mass shootings over the weekend.
During his remarks, the President called for action and issued a number of proposals and directives.
1) He's calling on the DOJ and FBI to investigate white supremecy and other forms of hate or terrorism on the internet, with help from social media companies.
“The shooter in El Paso posted a manifesto online consumed by racist hate. In one voice, our nation must condemn racism, bigotry and white supremacy. These sinister ideologies must be defeated. Hate has no place in America – hatred warps the mind, ravages the heart, and devours the soul. We have asked the FBI to identify all further resources they need to investigate and disrupt hate crimes and domestic terrorism, whatever they need,” President Trump said. “We must recognize that the internet has provided a dangerous avenue to radicalize disturbed minds and perform demented acts. We must shine light on the dark recesses of the internet, and stop mass murders before they start. The internet, likewise, is used for human trafficking, illegal drug distribution, and so many other heinous crimes. The perils of the internet and social media cannot be ignored and they will not be ignored.”
2) He's offering support for Red Flag laws
"We must make sure that those judged to pose a risk to public safety do not have access to firearms—and that if they do, those firearms can be taken through rapid due process. That is why I have called for “Red Flag” laws, also known as Extreme Risk Protection Orders,” he said.
3) He's asking for Republicans and Democrats to work together
“In the two decades since Columbine, our nation has watched with rising horror and dread as one mass shooting has followed another, over and over again, decade after decade. We cannot allow ourselves to feel powerless. We can – and will – stop this evil contagion," he said. “In that task, we must honor the sacred memory of those we have lost by acting as one people. Open wounds cannot heal if we are divided. We must seek real, bipartisan solutions, we have to do that in a bipartisan manner, that will truly make America safer and better for all.”
“These are just a few of the areas of cooperation that we can pursue. I am open and ready to listen and discuss all ideas that will actually work and make a very big difference,” he continued.
4) He wants the death penalty for mass murder and hate crimes
"I’m also directing the Department of Justice to propose legislation ensuring that those who commit hate crimes and mass murders face the death penalty – and that this capital punishment be delivered quickly, decisively, and without years of needless delay,” he said.
5) He wants the mental health system reformed
"We must reform our mental health laws to better identify mentally disturbed individuals who may commit acts of violence – and make sure those people not only get treatment, but when necessary, involuntary confinement. Mental illness and hatred pulls the trigger, not the gun,” he said.
Whether these proposals will work is another story, especially when it comes to Red Flag laws, which often times infringe on a number of constitutional rights.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham announced Monday, shortly after the President's remarks, that a bipartisan agreement has been reached on funding for state based Red Flag laws.
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