Tonight, the pressure to do something on gun reform came to Washington today in moving testimony and star power. Oscar awarding-winning actor and Uvalde native M.M gave one of the emotionally powerful speeches about gun laws that we’ve ever seen at the White House. This after visiting Robb Elementary School in his hometown where nineteen kids and two teachers were killed. M. talked about growing up at Uvalde where he learned responsible gun ownership and he said now is the windows of opportunity where real change can happen. And the reminder of gun violence epidemic in this country is on display not far from the White House. More than forty-five thousand flowers on the National Mall to represent the number of Americans who died from gun violence each year. And the threat of more violence is real. Just today, Department of Homeland Security releasing a threat bulletin warning of copycat attacks this summer.

The White House briefing room is typically a pretty raucous place. But today, for a about twenty minutes, you could’ve heard a pin drop as M.M spoke about a cause that has suddenly become personal and begged Washington to act. But that argument has not swayed most Republican leaders. In fact, just today, they announced their opposition to a red flag bill in the House that would allow guns to be taken away from people pose a risk to themselves or to others. Those Republicans say that such a bill will trample on Americans’ Second Amendment rights.

The emotional pleas to stop the tide of gun violence were heard on Capital Hill today. The families of the victims of the hate-fueled Buffalo mass shooting added their voices to the call for a reform.

:::tip raucous

• : disagreeably harsh or strident : HOARSE 喧嚣的

:::

:::tip trample

• : TRAMP especially : to tread heavily so as to bruise, crush, or injure 践踏

:::