This grotesque GOP charade does nothing to help us heal

Another mass shooting has struck Ohio. Another officer lost in the line of duty. Another wave of heartbreak for a community shattered.

And once again, as we grieve, the same lawmakers line up at the podium to offer their “thoughts and prayers” as if the cycle hasn’t become grotesquely familiar.

But Ohioans aren’t asking for sympathy anymore. We’re asking for change. And for that, we need to call out the legislative doublespeak happening in plain sight.

Even as they mourn tragedies, the Ohio state GOP is pushing legislation that will make our communities less safe.

The Second Amendment Preservation Act, currently making its way through the legislature, is a perfect example of political posturing disguised as principle.

If passed, this law would prohibit local agencies from participating in the enforcement of federal gun regulations. That means agencies could use federal tools like ballistics databases but not assist federal investigations — despite those tools being inherently federal.

The result? Legal confusion, paralyzed enforcement, and chaos for prosecutors who face $50,000 civil penalties simply for doing their jobs.

The language in this bill is so vague it could even prevent prosecutors from pursuing justice in violent cases involving guns. And it doesn’t stop there: joint task forces that combat gun trafficking, organized crime, and drug networks would be disrupted.

The very partnerships that make communities safer would be torn apart.

This isn’t a theory … it’s a warning from law enforcement itself.

Officers and police chiefs across Ohio have spoken out against this bill, saying it endangers their ability to keep people safe.

When those responsible for public safety say this bill is harmful, elected leaders should listen. Instead, they ignore the testimony of survivors, families, and law enforcement professionals in favor of gun lobbyists and party talking points.

If legislators cared about protecting Ohioans, they’d invest in proven, evidence-based solutions like safe storage laws, extreme risk protection orders, and community violence intervention programs. These approaches save lives. They respect the Second Amendment while holding dangerous individuals accountable.

But that’s not what we’re getting. We’re getting empty gestures. We’re getting the same soundbites every time a tragedy unfolds — “thoughts and prayers,” followed by legislative silence or worse, active harm.

Gun violence is now the number one cause of death for children in America. That horrifying reality should jolt every lawmaker into action. Instead, they keep passing bills that ignore our cries and bury our dead.

Let me be clear: no one is asking to take guns away from responsible, law-abiding citizens.

What we are asking is simple — basic safeguards, accountability, and the courage to stand up to extremism.

We deserve leaders who do more than mourn. We deserve leaders who act.

And until that happens, Ohio will continue to suffer, not because we lack solutions, but because some lawmakers have chosen politics over people.

• Erick Bellomy serves as the Ohio State Lead for Brady United Against Gun Violence. A survivor of gun violence, Erick lost his father in 2017 and has since become a passionate advocate for commonsense gun legislation nationwide.