Dem Sen Nelson: ‘Let’s Get These Assault Weapons off Our Streets’

Thursday on the Senate floor. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) spoke about the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, FL that resulted in 17 deaths and multiple injuries.

After a moment of silence, Nelson said, “At some point, we’ve got to say enough is enough. At some point we, as a society, have to come together and put a stop to this.”

He continued, “To those who say now that it’s not the time to talk about gun violence because it’s too soon, we don’t want to politicize right after a tragedy. That’s what is said over and over. Then I would ask, when is the time?”

Nelson asked, “How many more times do we have to do this? How many more folks have to die? When is enough going to be enough? So let’s don’t hide from it. Let’s have the conversation about this right now – not just about mental illness, and that’s part of it, not just about protection at our schools, and that’s part of it – let’s get to the root cause, let’s come together and help end this violence. Let’s talk about that 19 year old carrying an AR-15. Let’s do what needs to be done. And let’s get these assault weapons off our streets.”

He added, “Let’s just not talk about it. Let’s do something about it. Let’s make what happened at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School a pivotal moment in this country’s history, not because it was one of the largest mass shootings – but, hopefully, because it was the last.”

Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN