In the wake of recent shootings in Odessa, El Paso, Sutherland Springs, and Plano, many Texas gun control proponents have demanded that state leadership “do something” in the hopes of preventing future tragedies. However, these demands often redound to a clear violation of an explicit right enumerated both in the United States and Texas constitutions—the individual right to keep and bear arms for lawful self-defense—while failing to empirically demonstrate the positive change the proposed policy changes seek to achieve. Nonetheless, some legislative proposals and executive actions floated in the wake of these tragedies may improve public safety and responsible firearm ownership through the explicit targeting of more pervasive types of firearm violence.
The Rise of the ‘Alt-Lib’
The “toxic” and “unsettling” behavior of Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner was revealed last week in The New York Times. Following months of speculation, the report details multiple women who accuse the local oysterman of leaving a trail of alleged violence and mental abuse. Platner, who has remained under public scrutiny for sporting a (supposedly...