Thread by @ChrisGTurner

Several things to say about this:

Just because Republicans are too afraid of @NRA and Tea Party to even discuss modest gun safety measures, they shouldn’t get away with exclusively scapegoating people with mental health challenges.

1/several

#txlege

https://twitter.com/TexasTribune/status/1157801199225188352

If we want to identify “large contributors,” let’s start with the demonization of immigrants that has been so in vogue in Trump’s GOP.

@realDonaldTrump dangerous, racist rhetoric is part of the problem.

So are unnecessary, fear-based laws such as #txlege #SB4.

2/several

With respect to the intersection of mental illness and gun violence, one way to take that on is to do what law enforcement leaders have asked #txlege to do: pass #RedFlagLaws to prevent guns from being in the hands of unstable/dangerous people.

3/several

After the Santa Fe massacre, @GregAbbott_TX briefly put #RedFlagLaws on the table, to his credit.

Unfortunately, @DanPatrick said he was opposed, so the governor dropped the idea and backed off. Missed opportunity due to lack of leadership.

4/several

Moreover on mental health: here’s how you know the gun safety-to-mental health diversion employed by Republicans is phony:

The single biggest thing we could do to improve mental health care access is expand Medicaid under ACA. Texas Rs have blocked this for 8 years.

5/..

In addition to denying health care (including mental health care) to million+ Texans, consider this:

One of the essential health benefits mandated by the ACA is...mental health care coverage.

6/several

Under @KenPaxtonTX, Texas is LITERALLY in federal court trying to get the ACA overturned. The Trump Administration is supporting Paxton.

If Trump/Paxton are successful, mental health coverage will no longer be required or accessible.

Please explain how that will help.

7/..

So, when there is a mass shooting and Republicans say we need to talk about mental health but not guns—everyone should be skeptical.

Their record on mental health simply doesn’t support their words.

8/several

And we know that hatred, indoctrination and terrorism are not mental health issues.

I don’t recall us bemoaning mental health care access when McVeigh blew up the OKC Federal Building or when we were attacked by Al Queda.

We took action to make our nation safer.

9/10

And so, we need to take action now.

Let’s stop making it so easy for dangerous people to have dangerous weapons.

Let’s stop condoning racist and inciting rhetoric from POTUS.

Let’s have the courage to do the right thing for a change.

If not now, when?

10/10

#txlege