NEW YORK (WBEN) - Governor Andrew Cuomo joined WAMC radio on Monday morning to discuss this weekend's mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton.
1 day. 2 mass shootings. 29 people dead.Our country is under attack from within and continuing to ignore what is happening will only lead to more bloodshed and tragedy.This insanity must stop and it must stop now. Those who are unwilling to do anything about it are complicit.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) August 4, 2019
Cuomo discussed needed gun control measures to help ensure the safety of Americans, pointing to New York as an example of strict gun laws that still allow responsible gun owners to maintain their Second Amendment rights.
"No one needs an assault weapon to hunt a deer; it does not happen," said Cuomo. "These are weapons designed to kill the most people in the shortest period of time."
So, the governor called on President Trump to use his power to help curb gun violence in the United States.
"Mr. President, issue an executive order; declare an emergency and say you're using your emergency executive powers to ban assault weapons, and ban large capacity magazines and putting in universal background checks," said Cuomo, who also responded to the idea that video games may be to blame for the increase in violence. "Video games are worldwide, and yes, they're violent video games...No developed nation, they have the same video games, but they don't have anywhere near the number of mass murders - why? Because they don't have access to the guns."
Cuomo also blasted Trump's response to the shootings.
Today's shooting in El Paso, Texas, was not only tragic, it was an act of cowardice. I know that I stand with everyone in this Country to condemn today's hateful act. There are no reasons or excuses that will ever justify killing innocent people....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 4, 2019"For the President to look at a camera and say there is no place for hate in this country, was one of the great acts of hypocrisy that I have witnessed," said Cuomo. "This is the President who said that Mexicans are rapists, and criminals and bring drugs, and then we're shocked that the El Paso killer was anti-Latino and anti-Mexican?...this President has made hate and racism his stock and trade."
