Melissa Hennings
Audio By Carbonatix
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01:08
Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings was in Houston Friday morning when, about 40 miles away in Santa Fe, another person with a gun opened fire on another school, killing at least 10 as of Friday afternoon.
Rawlings said in a tweet Friday that officials should spare Texans their thoughts and prayers and get to work on “substantive action” to control mass shootings. It’s the usual post-mass-shooting politics — on the left, calls for action, and on the right, calls to turn to God and arm more people.
“History will not look kindly upon those elected officials who failed to act in the face of repeated mass murders of our children,” Rawlings tweeted. “Spare us your thoughts and prayers and do your job.”
My statement on the latest mass murder of American children, this time in #S antaFe, Texas. This must stop. pic.twitter.com/gtkCjLzPWv
— Mike Rawlings (@Mike_Rawlings) May 18, 2018
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Even Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said, “We need to do more than just pray for the victims and their families,” after the shooting. The governor said he planned to start talks with “everybody” to come up with some solutions to avoid the next mass shooting — or at least everybody who “believes in the 2nd Amendment,” which might not be a good sign for anyone hoping for (as if) stricter gun regulation in the state.
Abbott: Beginning next week, I will start "roundtable discussions" to come up with "swift solutions."
— Emma Platoff (@emmaplatoff) May 18, 2018
Says he wants to hear from everybody — parents, teachers, students, everyone who believes in the 2nd Amendment.
Rawlings commended the governor, calling his words “productive” as officials pursue action from the federal level.
Thank you, @GovAbbott. This sounds like the kind of inclusive and productive dialogue I wish we could see from our leaders in Washington. Hope it leads to meaningful reform that addresses all aspects of mass shootings. https://t.co/xfBuUQjq9i
— Mike Rawlings (@Mike_Rawlings) May 18, 2018
Dallas is about four and half hours away from the school, Santa Fe High School, which is close to Galveston, but people online pointed out the irony that early this month the National Rifle Association hosted its annual convention in Dallas, at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.