Following the deadliest attack on the Latinx community in American history, Beto calls for crackdown on domestic terrorism, establishment of gun licensing and a national gun buyback program

MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Today, after the release of Beto O’Rourke’s sweeping plan to end the proliferation of hate and the epidemic of gun violence across America on Friday, Beto for New Hampshire released new details of how the plan would impact the Granite State. Following the deadliest attack against the Latinx community in American history, which left 22 dead in Beto’s hometown of El Paso, Beto called on lawmakers and Americans to recognize the connection between the dissemination of hate speech by Donald Trump and conservative media, online radicalization, and acts of gun violence committed across America.



“The terrorist attack on El Paso, fueled by the racist rhetoric of Donald Trump, was not only an attack on America, but an attack on the aspirational ideals of this nation,” said Beto O’Rourke. “Congress’ failure to act has resulted in a democracy that is unwilling to confront an epidemic of gun violence. It’s time for those in positions of public trust to stand up, tell the truth and offer bold solutions without fear of political ramifications so we can finally start making progress and saving lives.”



“Donald Trump’s rhetoric has fueled the flames of hatred and white nationalism across the country, and New Hampshire is no exception,” said Eva Castillo, Director of the New Hampshire Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees. “It’s clear that the toxic environment created by the President can be directly linked to violence and hate crimes, and Beto is the only candidate who has been willing to clearly and forcefully connect the dots. He knows that we need to take aggressive action to combat hate and restore our values as a nation and this plan makes it clear he is serious about delivering on that promise.”



“Gun violence is an epidemic unique to this country because in America, there are more guns than there are people. We need leaders who are willing to tell the truth, fight back against the NRA, and end this deadly cycle,” said Alejandro Urrutia, Chairman of the NHDP Latino Caucus. “It’s refreshing to see Beto take a bold stand and call for nationwide gun licensing, universal background checks, and mandatory buybacks for banned assault weapons to keep those guns out of our communities. This is the kind of leadership we need to save lives and keep Granite Staters safe.”



Since the launch of his presidential campaign in 2015, President Trump has publicly espoused racist, white supremacist, and degrading attacks against people of color, entire faith communities and LGBTQ Americans. And that hatred has manifested itself in violence across the country. Over the past three years, hate crimes have been on the rise, and counties that have hosted Trump campaign rallies saw hate crimes rise by more than 200%.



In New Hampshire, Beto’s plan would:



Beto is calling on all Americans to not only connect these dots, but to confront this division and hatred by restoring our faith in humanity, in one another, and in this country. His plan to end the culture of hate and violence in America includes the following priorities.



Combating hate, white nationalism, and violence perpetuated by media and online radicalization.

Beto, who started and formerly ran an internet marketing start-up company, is calling on social media companies to crack down on hateful activities on their platforms and is calling for an amendment of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act to remove legal immunity from lawsuits for large social media platforms that fail to put in place systems to ban hateful activities. Informational service providers of all sizes, including domain name servers and social media platforms, also would be held liable where they are found to knowingly promote content that incites violence. As president, Beto will also mobilize the federal government to combat white supremacy, racism and domestic terrorism by creating dedicated domestic terrorism offices within DHS, DOJ and the FBI; and galvanizing the international community to counter extremist and violent rhetoric.



Creating a nationwide gun licensing system and registry.

Beto will work with Congress to create a nationwide gun licensing system that will ensure individuals seeking a gun undergo an assessment by law enforcement and a background check. Individuals must be 21 years old to receive a license, will be required to complete a certified gun safety training, and will need to renew their licenses every five years. Individuals will also be required to register their guns through a registry and all new handguns will be microstamped. Those under 21 with hunting licenses will be able to lawfully possess firearms for hunting. States will have the flexibility to administer their own licensing systems, allowing them to set higher standards. Where a state does not have a system in place, the federal government will administer the system.



Requiring universal background checks at point of purchase, closing loopholes, and implementing a federal option for Extreme Risk Protection Orders, also known as a red flag law.

In order to receive a gun license, individuals would be required to undergo a background check, with a new background check required every time a new weapon is purchased. Beto will establish a federal red flag law, allowing police departments in states without red flag laws to petition in federal courts to have weapons removed from those who present a danger to themselves or others, including white nationalists planning to perpetrate a hate crime. Beto will also work with Congress to close loopholes that currently allow dangerous individuals and domestic abusers to access guns, including the private sale loopholes (both at gun shows and online), the boyfriend loophole, and the Charleston loophole.



Banning weapons of war and implementing a voluntary buyback program for handguns and a mandatory buyback program for banned assault weapons.

Weapons of war belong on the battlefield, not in our communities. As president, Beto will work with Congress to ban the manufacturing, sale, and possession of military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Beto is also calling for a mandatory buyback program for assault weapons and a voluntary buyback program for handguns.

The New Hampshire Labor News is a group of NH Workers who believe that we need to protect ourselves against the attacks on workers. We are proud union members who are working to preserve the middle class. The NHLN talks mostly about news and politics from NH. We also talk about national issues that effect working men and women here in the Granite State.

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