Machine Guns Are Coming Back
Gun companies trump American lives yet again
The Trump administration has decided to allow the sale of forced-reset triggers, which are devices that can be legally sold and installed in AR-15-style rifles, ending a long-standing ban on the device.
These triggers mechanically reset after each shot, dramatically increasing the rate of fire. Shooters can empty entire magazines in seconds, achieving a firing rate nearly identical to that of a machine gun.
The Department of Justice announced the agreement as part of a settlement between the federal government and gun manufacturer Rare Breed Triggers, in litigation brought by the Biden administration.
“The Trump administration has just effectively legalized machine guns. Lives will be lost because of his actions. This is an incredibly dangerous move that will enable shooters to inflict horrific damage. The only people who benefit from these being on the market are the people who will make money from selling them, everyone else will suffer the consequences.”
(Vanessa Gonzalez, a spokeswoman for Giffords, the national gun violence prevention group led by former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords)
This decision follows the Trump administration’s pattern of undermining gun safety efforts — cutting funding for violence prevention and school mental health, firing gun violence researchers, dismantling federal offices and memorials, and rolling back rules on gun dealers and background checks.
This week’s Okay But Why is about kids’ mental health (stay tuned for that on Wednesday!) and gun violence is a major piece of the puzzle. Our kids deserve to feel safe, and this decision about forced reset triggers is a step in the wrong direction.
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