U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris visited Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on Saturday, where she announced the launch of a new national office to promote "red flag" gun control laws. The visit, which included a tour of the site of the 2018 mass shooting that claimed the lives of 17 people, has drawn mixed reactions from the victims' families.
During her speech, Harris emphasized the need for stricter gun control measures, stating that "gun violence is the leading cause of death for children in America." She also said that "one of five families in America has a family member that has died because of gun violence."
The vice president announced the creation of the National Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) Resource Center, which will provide assistance to 21 states that have implemented "red flag laws." These laws allow members of the public and law enforcement to petition courts for a civil order to temporarily suspend a person's access to firearms if they are deemed a threat to themselves or others.
"Of the 21 that have passed red flag laws, I challenge the others to come on over," Harris said. "We got some resources for you to help you implement the work that you have done that has been the work of a leader on this tragic issue."
Harris also called for universal background checks and an assault weapons ban, describing these measures as "no brainers." She concluded her speech by promising to "continue to advocate" for stricter gun control laws in America.
However, not all of the victims' families were pleased with the vice president's visit and message. Ryan Petty, whose daughter was killed in the Parkland shooting, called Harris' visit a "slap in the face" to parents who have worked to find solutions to school safety that do not infringe on Second Amendment rights.
"The vice president and the White House's Office of Gun Violence Prevention made it very clear to families early on that nothing short of new gun control was going to satisfy them in protecting our nation's schools," Petty told Fox News Digital. "There are so many ways that we can protect our kids and our teachers at school that don't require the infringement on the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners around the country."
In contrast, Max Schachter, whose 14-year-old son Alex was among the Parkland victims, joined Harris on the tour of the building where the murders occurred. He rejected criticism from another victim's family that Harris' visit had been politically motivated, stating, "This is not a political visit. She is the vice-president of the US and she has an obligation to come to Parkland."
The launch of the federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Resource Center follows President Joe Biden's establishment of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention in September, which the president tapped Harris to lead. The new office, operated through the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions and funded by a Justice Department grant, is designed to help state and local governments, law enforcement, and others "optimize" the use of red flag laws.
Despite the availability of $750 million in funding through the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act for crisis-intervention initiatives, including red flag programs, only six of the 21 states with such laws have taken advantage of the funds. Harris called on the remaining 29 states to enact red flag laws and urged those that already have them to tap into the available resources to support their implementation.
As the nation continues to grapple with the ongoing issue of gun violence, the debate surrounding the balance between public safety and Second Amendment rights remains a contentious one. The launch of the new national office to promote red flag laws is likely to further fuel this debate, with supporters viewing it as a necessary step towards reducing gun violence, while opponents see it as an infringement on their constitutional rights.
