Julián Castro unveils gun control plan to 'disarm hate' and address domestic terrorism


Julián Castro has a new plan to "defeat this rising tide of white nationalism."
The former Housing and Urban Development secretary spoke to Iowans at the state fair's "Soapbox" stage on Friday, where he and most other Democratic presidential candidates are campaigning before the nation's first primary voters.
In his speech, Castro talked about getting a call from former President Barack Obama with a job offer, called affordable housing a "human right," and advocated for policies like universal pre-k, among other topics. But when it came to addressing this weekend's mass shootings, Castro said what residents such as those in El Paso really need is "action, they need Congress, they need Mitch McConnell to get the Senate back in session and to pass common sense gun safety legislation. That's what we can do for the people of El Paso and the people of Dayton." His words were met with hearty applause.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Castro mentioned his newly released plan to "disarm hate," which Dallas News reports is focused on white nationalism and domestic terrorism. "Our nation's weak gun laws enable violent extremism," Castro said of the plan. The proposal calls for required federal gun licenses, universal background checks, and stricter licensing requirements for gun sellers. The plan also loops in requirements for reporting of hate crimes by local and state law enforcement.
Watch Castro's full remarks below, via the Des Moines Register. Summer Meza

Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.