(K-12 School Shooting Database, Center for Homeland Defense and Security)

(WED 5/25/22)

In Uvalde, Texas … Ten days after 10 Black shoppers at the Tops grocery store in Buffalo were shot dead in the last mass shooting, 21 are dead, 19 of them second-, third- and fourth-grade students of Robb Elementary, in Uvalde, about 90 miles west of San Antonio. The other two victims were teachers at the school, CNN reported. The gunman carried an assault rifle and a pistol.

Biden reacts: President Biden addressed the nation Tuesday evening from the White House, where he had just returned from his first trip as president to South Korea and Japan. 

“Where in God’s name is our backbone to have the courage to deal with and stand up to the lobbies?” he said. As Democratic senator from Delaware, Biden pushed gun control legislation in the 1990s, including an assault weapon ban that expired after 10 years.

The NRA … holds its annual convention on the other side of Texas, in Houston, this weekend. Donald J. Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and the state’s Republican Gov. Greg Abbott are scheduled speakers.

Steve Kerr: The Golden State Warriors head coach, visibly shaken and angry, dispensed with the traditional pre-game press conference in the NBA team’s playoff against the Dallas Mavericks to address the school shooting; “I am tired of the moments of silence. Enough.” Kerr pleaded with senators to take action. Watch Kerr’s press conference here: https://www.nba.com/watch/video/steve-kerr-comments-on-the-shooting-in-uvalde-texas

Do something?: Democratic senators told The Hill a floor debate on gun control is “inevitable” after the Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo shootings. 

“The bottom line is, I just watched a girl walk across the plaza that held up a sign that said, ‘This is your fault.’ We need to do something,” said Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT). 

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), a lead proponent of gun control, took to the floor Tuesday to give an impassioned speech, but his side of the issue does not have the votes, likely with or without the filibuster.

But Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) told colleagues not to expect gun-control measures on the Senate floor anytime soon, because he doesn’t expect sufficient Republican votes for passage (also The Hill).

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American Catholics Support Limited Abortion Rights … Catholics are generally in line with Americans in general who believe abortion should be illegal in some cases, but legal in others, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center. However, support for some abortion rights drops for Catholics who attend mass at least once a week.

According to Pew:

•76% of Catholics say abortion should be illegal in some cases, but legal in others.

•13% say abortion should be legal with no exceptions, and 10% say abortion should be illegal, with no exceptions.

•69% say it should be legal if the pregnant woman’s life or health is threatened, 66% say it should be legal in cases of rape and 63% say the length of the pregnancy should determine legality.

Of Catholics who attend mass at least once per week:

•68% say it should be illegal in all or most cases, and 43% of the same contingent support legal abortion for such exceptions as rape or incest, while 49% support abortion when the life of the mother is threatened.

•70% of this contingent say life begins at conception.

Pew Research surveyed 2,221 Catholics, of 10,441 adults for this poll.

--Edited by Todd Lassa and Charles Dervarics