Opinion: A Plea for Red Flag Laws

On Jan. 10, 2019, my 10-year-old niece, London, was murdered. Her sister and mother died with her, and the widely publicized Anaqua Springs case is still open. London was my brother's only child. They spent a lot of time with our family, and we probably have thousands of pictures of our kids growing up together. The day we lost London, my three kids lost a sister. Bringing them through this loss is something no one could have prepared us for.

Leo was 14. For weeks, he was my brother's shadow, terrified he might commit suicide. I still don't know if he's fully grieved for himself, or if we should have pushed harder for him to just be a child. Ben was 9. He now pulls his hair out when he gets anxious, and sometimes leaves class to cry in the counselor's office. He doesn't know London may have been killed by her own mother. I don't know how I would explain that to him. Luna was 4. We've told her multiple times, and she still waits for London's return. It's like she has amnesia. We want her to remember London, but at times I want to let her forget. I hate myself for thinking that. For them, this past year has been filled with tears, nightmares, sleepless nights, insane logistics, and challenges at school. Each day, my husband and I carry their grief along with ours, and it gets heavy.

Yet somehow, my own life seems to have stood still. It soon became clear I had to spend more time at home. The second income is missed. Our house is dusty, my garden is dead, and I cringe at the bridges I've burned failing to get things done. Some days are better than others. On those days, you return calls, check email, and remember that life didn't stand still. Then there are the really good days, when you actually wonder what's happening beyond your circle. It's on those days you realize that in some very real ways, time really has stood still. Some things just haven't changed.

On March 10, the Texas Senate is holding its Committee on Mass Violence Prevention and Community Safety meeting. This Committee has been meeting for months, but we already know more than enough to take action. For example, we know that people who exhibit "red flags" are a risk to themselves and others. We know they are a disproportionate cause of the problem. Yes, there is always more to learn, but there is no reason we can't act on what we already know now.

Effective Red Flag Laws that 1) screen for a history of violence, mental illness, or suicide at the time of purchase, and 2) create a protocol to temporarily confiscate guns from people who are exhibiting red flags, could have saved the lives of London and so many others.

These laws don't limit gun ownership for anyone, other than people who pose a risk to themselves or others, and have been successfully implemented in other states. There is no excuse for not implementing effective and comprehensive Red Flag Laws in Texas. The U.S. House passed H.R. 8, a bipartisan legislation requiring background checks on all gun sales, a year ago. This law would be a fundamental start to establishing effective Red Flag Laws. It sits, awaiting consideration by our Senate.

What exactly are we waiting for? Red Flag Laws do not threaten the Second Amendment rights of responsible gun owners, but waiting for the problem to get worse certainly does. Gun violence doesn't only affect victims. It takes down entire families. It traumatizes the next generation, who have to grow up in a country where children die daily. Eventually, drastic action will be taken. I don't want my Second Amendment rights taken away, and neither do most Americans.

Our family is having to move forward from a preventable tragedy. I urge our elected officials to move forward with us, pass H.R. 8 at the federal level, and implement Red Flag Laws here in Texas. No amount of campaign funding, and no reelection, is worth the life of another child, or the devastation of another family. Another committee meeting does not constitute action. It's just not good enough.

Emma Bribiescas Mancha-Sumners, Ph.D., is a researcher and fellow at the University of Texas at Austin, and London’s paternal aunt. The Chronicle welcomes submissions of opinion pieces on any topic from the community. Find guidelines and tips at austinchronicle.com/contact/opinion.