The following article by Adam Uren was posted on the GoMN website February 15, 2018:
Seventeen people – most of them students – died in the mass shooting.
The tragic massacre at Parkland High School in Florida has been met with sorrow and pleas for change from Minnesotans.
The horrific aftermath of a mass shooting that has left at least 17 dead – most of them students – is once again leading to calls for those in power to take action on gun control.
It is now one of the top 10 deadliest mass shootings in modern U.S. history, CNN reports.
In Minnesota, one of the most widely shared reactions to the shooting came from the Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns.
Most of the calls for gun reform at the political level have been coming from Democrats, and in Minnesota it’s no different judging by the comments posted to social media by Democrats in the Senate and House.
Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, and Reps. Betty McCollum and Keith Ellison are among those calling for change.
Rep. Tim Walz, who is running to become Minnesota governor this year and this past fall returned donations he received from the National Rifle Association following the Las Vegas massacre, called for bipartisan solutions to America’s gun problem.
Republicans are bearing the brunt of the anger for their perceived inactivity when it comes to passing meaningful gun reform in the wake of previous tragedies, as well as continuing to accept campaign donations from the NRA.
Senator Marco Rubio has come in for much of it in his home state of Florida, after telling Fox News that now is not the “appropriate time” to talk about gun control.
In Minnesota, 2nd District Rep. Jason Lewis wrote this on Facebook “It’s so hard to make sense of the absolute tragedy that happened in #Parkland today. Schools should be safe, not dangerous places for our kids. #Mn02.”
In response, he received scores of comments from followers demanding he take a stand and vote for gun control, as well as criticism for a previous endorsement he received from the NRA.
The same happened with this tweet from 3rd District Rep. Erik Paulsen, who received more than 200 replies after he described the tragedy as “heart-wrenching.”
View the post here.