NEW YORK -- Former Senate Majority Leader Shay Robertson (N-Damoign) spoke at Columbia University in New York City last week, and he had some interesting thoughts.
Asked about gun control by an audience member, Robertson explained Grassadellia has similar problems with guns as the US, though less gun crime and gun ownership.
"The cultural traditions surrounding guns are not as strong in Grassadellia, but we do have millions of citizens who own them, and we do have a gun crime problem, particularly in the inner cities where gang violence has escalated in recent years," Robertson said.
The former Senate majority leader, who lost a bid for re-election in the 2016 election, told the audience that gun control alone is not the answer.
"In Grassadellia, we have had difficulty passing gun legislation at the national level, just like here in the US. So we've turned to the state and local levels to pass gun restrictions, and more importantly than passing gun control, we've worked closely with law enforcement to target crime-ridden neighborhoods and make gang enforcement a priority."
Robertson's comments are mostly accurate. Gun crime statistics are comparable in Grassadellia to the US, so are gun ownership levels. However, mass shootings are a much more rare occurrence in Grassadellia than the USA.
Robertson attributed this to more effective gun control in Grassadellia and a less powerful gun lobby in Grassadellia.
"In my country, the gun lobby is not nearly as powerful as it is in the United States. The US gun lobby is extraordinarily powerful and influential. In Grassadellia, guns are important. But we also recognize that mass shootings are preventable through smart, effective legislation. If you take the emotion and the cultural demagoguery out of the equation, you can have smart gun reform that protects lawful gun owners but severely limits the ability of criminals to commit mass atrocities."
Additionally, he blamed Republicans in the US Congress for failing to prioritize gun reform in the states.
"In Grassadellia, it's the Conservative politicians that are dragging their feet and using guns as a wedge issue in campaigns. They know people care about guns and safety and crime, and they draw on that for political purposes. And from what I've seen, and from what my progressive friends here in the states tell me, it's the Republicans who are dragging their feet here and refusing to pass gun reform. They are effectively politicizing the safety and well-being of America's cities, and that's immoral."
Now working as an advisor for the Faren Young financial corporation, Robertson has little to do with the gun debate these days, but he told the Columbia University audience he hopes US politicians will be more receptive to what he calls "common sense gun legislation."
"I think what we're seeing in the US is a reckoning of sorts. We're seeing the American people waking up and realizing, 'this is not normal.' It's not normal to have mass shootings every week in which tens or dozens of people are killed in bloody, gory fashion. It's not normal, it's not acceptable, and it doesn't have to be this way. The American people are waking up to that reality and I hope they hold their politicians accountable and force their political leaders to do something."
While mass shootings are uncommon in Grassadellia, gang shootings has increased substantially in the last five years, with most of the violence occurring in Grassadellia City and other east coast cities.
Last month, in response to the increasing violence, Damoign Governor Jenna Duvan (N) announced the creation of a new taskforce to target gang crime in Grassadellia City. Duvan asked Damoign's senators and President Jim McCaren for federal support for the program.
Asked about gun control by an audience member, Robertson explained Grassadellia has similar problems with guns as the US, though less gun crime and gun ownership.
"The cultural traditions surrounding guns are not as strong in Grassadellia, but we do have millions of citizens who own them, and we do have a gun crime problem, particularly in the inner cities where gang violence has escalated in recent years," Robertson said.
The former Senate majority leader, who lost a bid for re-election in the 2016 election, told the audience that gun control alone is not the answer.
"In Grassadellia, we have had difficulty passing gun legislation at the national level, just like here in the US. So we've turned to the state and local levels to pass gun restrictions, and more importantly than passing gun control, we've worked closely with law enforcement to target crime-ridden neighborhoods and make gang enforcement a priority."
Robertson's comments are mostly accurate. Gun crime statistics are comparable in Grassadellia to the US, so are gun ownership levels. However, mass shootings are a much more rare occurrence in Grassadellia than the USA.
Robertson attributed this to more effective gun control in Grassadellia and a less powerful gun lobby in Grassadellia.
"In my country, the gun lobby is not nearly as powerful as it is in the United States. The US gun lobby is extraordinarily powerful and influential. In Grassadellia, guns are important. But we also recognize that mass shootings are preventable through smart, effective legislation. If you take the emotion and the cultural demagoguery out of the equation, you can have smart gun reform that protects lawful gun owners but severely limits the ability of criminals to commit mass atrocities."
Additionally, he blamed Republicans in the US Congress for failing to prioritize gun reform in the states.
"In Grassadellia, it's the Conservative politicians that are dragging their feet and using guns as a wedge issue in campaigns. They know people care about guns and safety and crime, and they draw on that for political purposes. And from what I've seen, and from what my progressive friends here in the states tell me, it's the Republicans who are dragging their feet here and refusing to pass gun reform. They are effectively politicizing the safety and well-being of America's cities, and that's immoral."
Now working as an advisor for the Faren Young financial corporation, Robertson has little to do with the gun debate these days, but he told the Columbia University audience he hopes US politicians will be more receptive to what he calls "common sense gun legislation."
"I think what we're seeing in the US is a reckoning of sorts. We're seeing the American people waking up and realizing, 'this is not normal.' It's not normal to have mass shootings every week in which tens or dozens of people are killed in bloody, gory fashion. It's not normal, it's not acceptable, and it doesn't have to be this way. The American people are waking up to that reality and I hope they hold their politicians accountable and force their political leaders to do something."
While mass shootings are uncommon in Grassadellia, gang shootings has increased substantially in the last five years, with most of the violence occurring in Grassadellia City and other east coast cities.
Last month, in response to the increasing violence, Damoign Governor Jenna Duvan (N) announced the creation of a new taskforce to target gang crime in Grassadellia City. Duvan asked Damoign's senators and President Jim McCaren for federal support for the program.
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