As a country with a deep history of sportsmanship and responsible gun ownership, we must acknowledge the cultural importance of firearms for many Americans. However, we cannot allow that culture to prevent us from addressing the very real and urgent epidemic of gun violence that continues to devastate communities across Louisiana and the nation. Common-sense gun safety measures are not about taking away the rights of law-abiding citizens—they’re about protecting lives and ensuring that guns are used responsibly.
Weapons of war have no place in our communities. Civilians should not have access to firearms designed for combat, and we must make it far harder for dangerous individuals to acquire guns. This means implementing universal background checks, closing loopholes in private and online sales, and requiring waiting periods for purchases to ensure that no gun is sold without proper vetting. We also need stronger measures to prevent straw purchases and require safe storage of firearms to protect children and reduce theft.
At the same time, I believe law-abiding citizens who pose no verifiable threat to society should be able to own firearms for personal protection, hunting, or sport. These rights can coexist with policies that ensure firearms are kept out of the hands of those who would use them to harm others. We need to be honest about the role that easy access to guns plays in fueling violence and take meaningful steps to reduce it. To ignore this is to fail the people we are sworn to protect.
Gun safety is about finding balance—respecting the traditions of responsible gun ownership while making our communities safer for everyone. This isn’t an attack on anyone’s rights; it’s a commitment to protecting lives and ensuring that gun ownership comes with the responsibility it demands. We owe it to our children, our families, and our communities to adopt measures that make sense and save lives.
