“They have no heart. If it was their child, they would move mountains to get these laws changed. Honestly,” Javier Cazares said. He lost his daughter in the Uvalde shooting in May. He was speaking to Sky News after a statement from the chief executives of two of America’s top arms manufacturers. The CEOs of Daniel Defense and Sturm, Ruger & Co. were giving testimony to politicians on Capitol Hill at the latest hearing to consider possible gun law reforms. The two men condemned the attacks in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas. and Highland Park, Illinois, testified before the House Oversight and Reform Committee, but rejected any suggestion that they should share any responsibility. Marty Daniel, the boss of Daniel Defense, which makes the type of AR-15 rifle used in Uvalde’s shooting, called the mass shootings “local problems” that cannot be blamed on “inanimate” firearms. “How many more children in America have to die before your company stops selling assault weapons to children and civilians?” asked Carolyn Maloney, Democratic Chairwoman of the House Oversight Committee. “I think these murders are local problems that have been solved locally,” Mr Daniel said. Read more: US Senate passes rare bipartisan gun control legislation More than 700 people have been shot in the US since the Texas school shooting “You from your ivory tower in DC, you know better!” In several hours, the familiar party lines were drawn. Republican Congressman Clay Higgins of Louisiana has reacted angrily to any attempt by Democratic politicians to change gun laws. “You from your ivory tower in DC, you know better!” he said sarcastically. “We carry light weapons. We own them. We own them legally. And we intend to keep them.” Pro-gun Republican politicians supported the manufacturers in angry exchanges with Democratic reformers as relatives of the victims attended. Some Democratic politicians have produced ad copy from gun companies to demonstrate what they say is completely irresponsible and reprehensible marketing. A tweet from Daniel Defense shows a small child being handed a military-style rifle by an adult. Another shows a gun produced by the company next to an image showing a road through a telescopic lens. “Mr. Daniel, this ad appears to depict premeditated violence or murder from a rooftop,” Democratic Congressman Raja Kesnamurthy told Daniel’s Defense boss. The gunman in the July 4 mass shooting in Illinois used a similar weapon and a rooftop to kill and injure. Another ad shows images of professional soldiers with the words: “Use what they use.” “Can this shoot bullets that shred people’s vital organs?” Also answering the politician’s questions was Ryan Busse, a former gun company boss who described himself as a gun owner who supports responsible gun ownership. “Any reasonable person can see direct lines from this marketing to the troubled young men who are killing people in places like Buffalo, El Paso and Uvalde,” Mr. Busse said. Image: Ryan Busse supports responsible gun ownership Pic: AP MP Katie Porter asked why firearms don’t come with a biometric fingerprint lock. Holding up her biometric-unlocked iPhone, she said, “Could this fire bullets that shred people’s vital organs?” “No MP can,” replied Christopher Killroy, CEO of Sturm Ruger. “Then why does this device require more steps to operate than your company’s firearms that have been used in accidental shootings, mass shootings and homicides?” asked. The commission revealed that arms companies made more than $1 billion over the past 10 years selling the powerful military-style weapons. A panel note details revenue and marketing strategies for assault weapons. Manufacturers and the politicians who support them say it’s the people, not their guns, that are to blame.
