Nice contrast to Gov. Asa Hutchinson declaring gun control is off the table as a school safety issue:

Bishop Anthony Taylor of the Catholic Diocese of Little Rock has written the Arkansas congressional delegation urging them to back “reasonable, life-saving” regulations on firearms as a response to the Florida school massacre.

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“Now is the time to enact reasonable, life-saving regulations on firearms that include:

— A civilian ban on assault-style weapons;

— A civilian ban on large-capacity ammunition magazines and bump stocks;

— Raising the minimum age to purchase a gun from 18 to 21;

— An improved, stricter background check system for all gun purchases, including a thorough review of how such information is shared by various agencies and databases and;

— More access to mental health care for people who may be prone to violence.

“The National Rifle Association (NRA) is not on the side of the high school shooting survivors who want real change in our gun laws so “Never Again” becomes a reality. It will take courage to oppose the NRA who are resistant to any meaningful gun reform legislation.

“We all want to live in a world that is safe and secure. For this to happen, we have to be honest and look at the truth about the sensible ways gun violence can be curtailed. For example, so that our children can be educated in the safest environments possible, we need to identify the most practical and effective school security measures, and find a way to implement them.

When he’s right he’s right. Great minds. His agenda is just about precisely the one I outlined in my column in the Times this week.

Perhaps the bishop should add Gov. Hutchinson to his list.

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Perhaps he also could have a pastoral visit with a Catholic from Little Rock who’s the single biggest beneficiary of NRA money in the U.S. House — Rep. French Hill, a congregant at the bishop’s home church, the Cathedral of St. Andrew.

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