Combatting Gun Violence In The Heart Of Texas-- Meet Tom Wakely

With all this talk about an anti-Trump tsunami sweeping Ryan and his GOP House majority out of power, there are some hopeful signs, even if the DCCC doesn't have enough plausible candidates running to achieve that. One district the DCCC is studiously ignoring is TX-21-- the Austin/San Antonio corridor-- where derabged Trump enthusiast Lamar Smith managed to get a "free pass" from an increasingly out-of-touch Nancy Pelosi. Berniecrat Tom Wakely has a narrow path to victory there, although DCCC negativity isn't helping.

Blue America has endorsed Tom and we've tried highlighting over the last few months how a progressive fights a reactionary in the heart f Texas by talking about peace, comprehensive immigration reform, a livable minimum wage, corruption, equality, the dangers inherent in fracking, etc. Friday, Tom brought up an other issue: gun safety... yes eradicating gun violence in Texas. "What," he asked rhetorically, "are the modern-day implications of the Second Amendment?" And he answered:

To answer that question, I encourage you to consider the context within which the U.S. Constitution was crafted. It should be noted that in 1791, at the time the Bill of Rights was adopted, automatic weapons did not exist. I support the reinstatement of the Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act, better known as the Federal Assault Weapons Ban.

...When I completed my basic training for the Air Force, I learned how to use the M16 rifle, which is the military equivalent of the civilian AR-15 rifle. I’ll never forget what my training instructor said when he first introduced the M16 to my flight:

“This weapon was designed for one purpose and one purpose alone-- that purpose is to kill people.”

That sentiment has been echoed by veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the wake of the recent mass shooting in Orlando, Congressman Seth Moulton of Massachusetts commented:

The first step in reforming America’s gun legislation is to stop the manufacturing and distribution of assault weapons. This measure, in conjunction with implementing universal background checks on all gun purchases, will have a demonstrable impact on efforts to end gun violence in America.

As Gandhi so eloquently wrote: "Nonviolence is the weapon of the strong." What we are confronted with now is an epidemic of violence that is perpetuated by ignorance and fear. It's time to reverse the cycle. I'm ready to fight for the change that our country needs-- are you?

Tom's running a great grassroots campaign but in the face of DCCC hostility after he beat a conservative in the primary, Tom has a significant money problem. As of the March 31 FEC filing deadline, Lamar Smith had raised $1,176,404. Tom's grassroots campaign had brought in just $15,422. He can really use a boost. If you can help, please tap on the thermometer and scroll down to Tom Wakely and do what you can. The struggle to make Texas blue again has got to start somehwre-- and downtown Austin, the Texas Hill Country, San Marcos and San Antonio seem like the right place to get the ball rolling.