On the recordJune 15, 2016
As we have heard repeatedly, this past weekend, Omar Mateen walked into a nightclub that had been a fixture of Orlando's LGBT community for over a decade and opened fire, killing 49 people and wounding dozens more. This tragedy was many things. It was an act of terror and the deadliest mass shooting in American history. It was an attack targeting the LGBT community in what was meant to be a safe space on what was meant to be a night of celebration. Information is still coming in about the perpetrator and his past, and we will continue to learn more in the days ahead. But we do know now that Mateen had been investigated by the FBI for possible terrorist ties and placed on the terrorist watch list. Despite this, he was able to pass a background check and legally purchase a gun. There were other warning signs as well. He was described by coworkers and family as a violent and unstable person with a history of domestic abuse. But the loophole by which suspected terrorists can purchase guns is something that we have the power to fix right now with one simple change. The vast majority of Americans agree with us: if you are too dangerous to ride on a plane, you are too dangerous to own a gun. Let's fix this commonsense loophole. ____________________
