Montini: Will Gov. Doug Ducey lead on gun regulation – or follow protesting teens?

Will Gov. Doug Ducey lead the way toward curbing gun violence and, if not, will he at least follow the lead of Arizona’s teens?

Since the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., students from across the nation have been lobbying legislatures, staging demonstrations, making public appearance and advocating for the kind of common sense gun regulations that elected officials have ignored -- particularly in Republican-controlled legislatures like Arizona.

On March 24, the kids from Florida will lead what they call a “March for Lives" in Washington, D.C., with companion demonstrations in cities all across the United States.

Teens preparing to march in Phoenix 

Including a number in Arizona.

Ducey as said he wants to do something about gun violence.

He told the Arizona Capitol Times, “This is something that’s all our responsibility. These are our kids and our public schools. And it’s not only the kids. It’s the teachers that are teaching the kids, the people that work inside these schools, and we want to have them as safe as possible.”

But, while Ducey talks the talk will he walk the walk? Will he literally or only figuratively support the teenagers?

The Arizona Republic’s Kaila White spoke with the young organizers of the planned Phoenix march, 16-year-old Samantha Lekberg of Surprise and 17-year-old Jordan Harb of Mesa.

They support a series of gun measures that have been introduced in the Arizona Legislature, none of which has even been given a hearing.

Ducey has not spoken loudly and publicly about the bills.

The proposals, which the teens support, would institute universal background checks on all gun sales (closing the so-called gun show loophole). Others would allow authorities to remove weapons for domestic-violence offenders and some mental health issues, and – easiest of all – they would ban bump stocks, which transform assault rifles into something close to an automatic weapon.

A sense of needing to act

Lekberg told The Republic, "So young people, now more than ever, understand the issue that’s going on because we are the targets. We are forced to quit being so naive when things like this happen."

How about the rest of us?

When are we going to quit being so naïve – about politicians?

Democratic Rep. Dr. Randall Friese introduced several of the gun bills.

The Republicans who control the House didn’t give them a hearing.

Why?

Friese told me, "They (Republicans in control) get away with not being held accountable because it's never heard. If it were heard the committee could weigh in. Stakeholders could testify. And then we (lawmakers) would hold ourselves accountable by having to say 'no' or 'yes.' But we never get to that point."

Democratic Rep. Mitzi Epstein wrote a letter to Ducey, signed by a 49 other lawmakers, in which they asked the governor “to quickly, decisively and compassionately to protect all of Arizona school children by convening a Task Force on the Prevention of Potential School Violence.”

Will Ducey walk the walk

When it comes to firearms, Arizona lawmakers do not usually act “quickly” and “decisively” or … at all.

Will Ducey?

Finally?

Because the teenagers aren’t waiting around. Their GoFundMe account already has raised nearly $14,000.

They’re talking the talk.

And later this month, they’ll be walking the walk.

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