Happy Flag Day

As a supporter of government and a fan of red, white, and blue, I’ve written many times about the importance of participating in the political process and government so we can have the most effective governments possible.

However, today on Flag Day, it’s difficult to be optimistic.

The U.S. Supreme Court voted to overturn a ban on bump stocks, one of the few national laws passed to curb gun violence. The law was passed after a gunman killed 60 people and injured hundreds using bump stocks at a Las Vegas concert in 2017. It was the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

Bump stocks are attached to semiautomatic rifles to enable them to fire faster.

In December 2018, the Trump administration enacted the bump stock ban and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives issued a regulation that banned bump stocks.

The Supreme Court said limits on bump stocks should come from lawmakers not administrative agencies.

At least 15 states and the District of Columbia have their own bans on bump stocks.

Today’s decision won’t overturn state bans, according to an article on National Public Radio.

I guess I’ll just need to get back to why I usually like Flag Day. It’s a day that celebrates the adoption of the country's national flag. And, despite Supreme Court rulings, we need to keep working for good government and elected officials that will work for the public interest.

I cheered myself by looking through all my flag photos to see if I could find something new to post with this article.

Best wishes on Flag Day.