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TN Politics: Voters Will Have a Say on Guns, Schools and Crime

Guns for sale at a gun show in Naples, Fla.
Spencer Platt
/
Getty Images
Guns for sale at a gun show in Naples, Fla.

Gov. Bill Lee signed a new executive order this week to address gun safety in schools. In it, he calls for more periodic security assessments of schools, disseminating information to parents and promoting careers in law enforcement, among other things.

Political analyst Otis Sanford says it doesn't mention guns or easily obtainable assault weapons which have featured prominently in recent mass murders.

In Memphis this week, Gov. Lee proposed the concept that gun control legislation and school safety plans are unrelated, though a growing number of school shooters were young people with legally acquired semi-automatic assault rifles.

On a more local level, however, voters will soon choose a new Shelby County District Attorney. It a race that could be influenced by a growing skepticism of liberal criminal justice reforms that led to a recent recall of the DA in San Francisco.

Reporting from the gates of Graceland to the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, Christopher has covered Memphis news, arts, culture and politics for more than 20 years in print and on the radio. He is currently WKNO's News Director and Senior Producer at the University of Memphis' Institute for Public Service Reporting. Join his conversations about the Memphis arts scene on the WKNO Culture Desk Facebook page.