‘When will enough be enough?’

After two Democratic state senators were defeated in Colorado recall elections last week, there was some speculation that proponents of gun-safety would begin to retreat, backing away from efforts to reduce gun violence.

After a dozen people were gunned down yesterday at the Navy Yard in D.C., there was ample evidence to the contrary.

President Obama briefly addressed the issue at the start of his speech on the economy, arguing that policymakers must “do everything that we can to try to prevent” these mass shootings. Like-minded lawmakers followed suit.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., responded to Monday’s tragedy at the Washington Navy Yard with another plea for Congress to take action against gun violence.

“This is one more event to add to the litany of massacres that occur when a deranged person or grievance killer is able to obtain multiple weapons — including a military-style assault rifle — and kill many people in a short amount of time. When will enough be enough?” asked Feinstein. “Congress must stop shirking its responsibility and resume a thoughtful debate on gun violence in this country. We must do more to stop this endless loss of life.”

Mark Glaze of Mayors Against Illegal Guns added, “I think the country and indeed the president have reached the tipping point not because of one mass shooting but because of an aggregate drip, drip, drip of more and more mass shootings. Every time this happens, it throws additional fuel on a fire already blazing pretty high.”

While legislative action is not expected soon, it’s worth noting that a Senate Judiciary subcommittee is poised to hold a hearing on “stand your ground” laws — the hearing had been scheduled for this morning, but it’s been postponed in light of yesterday’s violence — and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has vowed to return to the issue of universal background checks this Congress.