‘Common sense’: Gov. Parson agrees with KC mayor that minors, abusers shouldn’t have guns
Hey, it’s a start, and we’ll take it: Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has agreed that the state needs to do what Kansas City has already done to make it harder for minors and those with a history of domestic abuse to get or keep handguns.
We’re a long way from passing any such law, of course, even though it would be in keeping with existing federal law, too.
But it’s a half-step in the right direction that Parson met again on Monday with the mayors of Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield and Columbia on gun violence.
Afterwards, they all said they’d agreed that we do need such state legislation, along with additional funding for witness protection and relocation and community mental health.
Parson called the proposed gun legislation “common sense” and said he’s “optimistic” it will pass. Common sense, yes, and after years of relaxing gun laws into oblivion, good for him for talking up even this modest move. And good for Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, who introduced the city ordinances on minors and domestic abusers, for believing that we don’t have to accept the status quo.
No one’s going to confuse Parson with Parkland survivor David Hogg or a member of Moms Demand Action. But we were still glad to hear him say the simple truth that “if you are going to be involved with domestic violence and you start involving weapons in it, that needs to be addressed. I think that that’s a reasonable ask, of what the mayors are asking to do.”
Who could argue? Many, many Republicans, even as gun deaths from both homicide and suicide continue to mount.
In a phone interview on his way back from Jefferson City on Monday, Lucas said he’s just relieved Parson has signaled that he’s not interested in blocking the city ordinances here that the mayor introduced.
“People want something different in Missouri,” which has one of the highest gun death rates in the country, Lucas said. Something different from the 135 homicides in Kansas City so far this year. Different from the reality in which three of the country’s most dangerous cities are Springfield, Missouri, which has the 12th-highest rate of violent crime, Kansas City, which has the fifth-highest, and St. Louis, which has the highest rate in the country.
“The mayors are working together” with the governor, Lucas said. “We’re not just hiring lobbyists.”
Speaking of Jefferson City lobbyists, we are doing that, too. Lucas said that hire is still “a few weeks off.” And he suggested it won’t be Richard McIntosh, who nearly succeeded in pushing through Missouri legislation more favorable to those accused of sexual assault under Title IX protections before The Star reported that his advocacy on the issue began after his son was accused of sexual assault and then expelled from Washington University last year.
“I don’t know if anyone that controversial comes through,” Lucas said. “But what do I know? I just work here.”