Tag Archives: gun control

Let no horrific tragedy go unexploited

Barf. Security companies spent years pushing schools to buy more products — from “ballistic attack-resistant” doors to smoke cannons that spew haze from ceilings to confuse a shooter. But sales were slow, and industry’s campaign to free up taxpayer money … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Fifth Circuit upholds dismissal of campus carry lawsuit

Not a surprise. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday upheld Texas’ campus carry law, delivering another clear victory to the state in a longshot, long-running lawsuit brought by University of Texas at Austin professors opposed to the … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Santa Fe ISD to install metal detectors

If that’s what they want… Metal detectors will be installed in all four of Santa Fe ISD’s campuses after its Board of Trustees voted to accept at least 16 devices that had been donated by two private companies and Lt. … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Campus carry at the Fifth Circuit

We’ll see if this gets a better reception than it got at the lower court. Two years ago, three University of Texas at Austin professors — Jennifer Lynn Glass, Lisa Moore and Mia Carter — filed a lawsuit against state … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Metal detectors

They’re like magic. More than a month after a deadly shooting at Santa Fe High School left 10 dead and 13 injured, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is taking steps to tighten security in the southeast Texas school district, part of … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Health care needs to be a twofer

Lt. Governor candidate Mike Collier is on the right track here, but he needs to keep going. Lieutenant governor hopeful Mike Collier announced his health care reform plan Tuesday, which aims to reduce costs and increase access to health care … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Who watches the anonymous tipsters?

Am I the only one who sees the potential for problems with this? Want a safe way to anonymously report suspicious activity at your neighborhood school to prevent a potential school shooting? There’s an app for that. In light of … Continue reading

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Senate considers mostly symbolic ideas on school safety

Once again, see if you can tell what’s missing from this discussion. Nearly three weeks after a shooter killed 10 people at a high school southeast of Houston, lawmakers gathered at the Texas Capitol on Monday to discuss new school … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The problem with more cops in schools

I haven’t had anything to say so far about Greg Abbott’s proposed responses to the Santa Fe school shooting. There isn’t much to say about it – these are a bunch of small changes around the margins, all while scrupulously … Continue reading

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From doors to video games

See if you can tell what’s missing from this discussion. While Democrats clamored for stricter gun regulations and Gov. Greg Abbott discussed measures to tighten school security following Friday’s mass shooting at Santa Fe High School, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Santa Fe

I don’t have anything profound to say, though I would suggest that someone on Dan Patrick‘s staff try to explain to him the concept of fire codes and emergency exits. Beyond that, I’ll say again what I’ve said many times … Continue reading

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , | 16 Comments

Houston Youth Walkout

Good work, y’all. Chanting for gun-law reform and reduced firearm violence, an estimated 2,000-plus students marched to City Hall Friday morning as part of nationwide school walkouts. The Houston Youth Walkout, believed to be the largest local out-of-class gathering to … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , | 13 Comments

Scenes from the March For Our Lives

From Houston: Nearly 15,000 descended Saturday morning on downtown Houston for the city’s March For Our Lives, advocating for greater gun control in light of last month’s Florida school shooting. A mix of children and adults gathered in Houston’s Tranquility … Continue reading

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 49 Comments

March For Our Lives rally

On Saturday, March 24, community members from Houston will gather for a “sibling march” as part of the March for Our Lives movement. The march is one of hundreds happening around the country planned by students and survivors of gun … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

White and Valdez call for sensible gun control measures

Good. The recent Florida school shooting is spurring the Democratic gubernatorial field to press for new firearms restrictions, looking to draw a contrast with Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s response to the massacre — and touching on a sensitive subject in … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 27 Comments

It’s about the domestic violence

You want to do something to reduce gun violence, here’s the place to start. Domestic violence cases have risen sharply across the state, with more than 210,000 wives, girlfriends, husbands and others suffering death or injury at the hands of … Continue reading

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Going beyond “thoughts and prayers”

There are things we could do to reduce the prevalence of gun violence, if we wanted to. At a news conference organized by Texas Gun Sense at the state capitol on Wednesday, state Reps. Poncho Nevárez, D-Eagle Pass, and Nicole … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Background checks

This should make you angry. A mistake by U.S. Air Force officials in reporting Devin Patrick Kelley’s past conviction for domestic violence allowed him to buy four guns, including the semi-automatic rifle used in the Sunday shooting at a South … Continue reading

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Sutherland Springs

I don’t even know what to say. I worry more about some random asshole with a gun more than I do about anything else that could harm me or my family. I’ll say it again, because I keep having to … Continue reading

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , | 11 Comments

Rep. Martinez to introduce “don’t shoot guns in the air” bill

You’d think this wouldn’t be necessary, but it is. After being hit in the head with a bullet shortly after midnight on New Year’s Eve, state Rep. Armando Martinez plans to file legislation aimed at reducing or preventing celebratory gun … Continue reading

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Checking in on Garcia v Green

An update on how the biggest primary fight in the county is going. U.S. Congressman Gene Green has taken Texas’ 29th District Democratic primary to television, leveraging his substantial financial advantage over challenger Adrian Garcia to pour more than $240,000 … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The 2013 Houston Area Survey

The 2013 Houston Area Survey shows that tolerance is prevalent in our region. The results, according to institute co-director Stephen Klineberg, may reflect the region’s growing ethnic diversity, younger residents’ acceptance of change and the emergence of live-and-let-live “tolerant traditionalists.” … Continue reading

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PPP polls Texas

I have three things to say about this. Texas voters- even Republicans- have had enough of Rick Perry. PPP’s newest poll finds that only 31% of voters think Perry should seek reelection next year, compared to 62% who think it’s … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Guest post: Gun control realities and fallacies; is there a way forward?

Note: The following is a guest post, written by regular reader Peter in Houston. I don’t necessarily agree with everything he says, but he makes some good and provocative points, and I’m a believer in having thorough discussions of complex … Continue reading

Posted in Other punditry | Tagged , , , , , | 16 Comments