A school safety expert told Fox News Digital that JD Vance and Tim Walz presented two different viewpoints on how to deal with gun violence in America. This week’s vice presidential debate, But only one candidate appears “very close to the answer” when it comes to protecting children in classrooms.
Vance argued during the debate that “we have to increase security in our schools” by adding more school resource officers and making it harder to breach doors and windows. Trump’s running mate said the US also needs to get to the root causes of the “mental health crisis”, adding that it is “not the whole reason we have this.” bad gun violence problem, But I think that’s a big part of it.”
Walz responded by saying, “This idea of destigmatizing mental health – just because you have a mental health issue doesn’t mean you’re violent. And I think what we’re doing is that We start looking for scapegoats. Sometimes, it’s just guns and things you can do about it.”
Ryan Petty, whose daughter Alaina was one of the 17 people killed during the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, told Fox News Digital after Tuesday’s debate that “in the 6 and a half years I’ve been in school safety What I’ve learned about how we protect our nation’s schools is more closely mirrored by the response given by J.D. Vance than anything Tim Walz has said. Is.”
Top 5 clashes between Vance and Walz during debate showdown
J.D. Vance, left, and Tim Walz offered differing views on how to deal with gun violence during Tuesday’s vice presidential debate. (associated Press)
Asked about Walz’s comments, Petty said, “I don’t even know what he means when he says, ‘Sometimes it’s the guns.’ “This has nothing to do with guns. School violence is not caused by the freedoms we enjoy and the rights we have under the Second Amendment.
“The problem is much deeper and requires a more comprehensive solution, and J.D. Vance was very close to the answer. We have to protect our schools. We have to increase security there. Having more school resource officers on campus will be a deterrent and a deterrent to any attack.” “The ultimate solution to stopping it once it starts is exactly the same blueprint we followed to protect Florida schools after Parkland,” he added.
During the debate, Vance said, “We have to make the door locks better. We have to make the doors stronger. We have to make the windows stronger. And, of course, we have to increase school resource officers because the idea that we Can magically wave a wand and take guns out of the hands of bad guys, it doesn’t fit with recent experience, so, we have to make our schools safer and I think we have to do that how. Do it, there are some common sense, bipartisan solutions to this.
“Another driver of the gun violence epidemic, especially one that is affecting our children — it doesn’t earn as many headlines — is the terrible gun violence problem. many of our major citiesAnd that’s why we must empower law enforcement to arrest the bad guys, turn them away, and get gun criminals off the streets.”
Body language expert says Vance seemed confident during debate compared to nervous Walz
Ryan Petty, whose 14-year-old daughter Alaina was killed in the 2018 Parkland High School shooting, told Fox News Digital, “How we protect our country’s schools is more important than anything Tim Walz said. The response given by J.D. Vance more closely mirrors this.” (Joe Raddle/Getty Images)
“We understand the Second Amendment exists, but our first responsibility is to our children to understand it,” Walz said during the debate.
“In Minnesota, we’ve created advanced red flag laws, increased background checks, and we can start getting data. But here’s the problem. If we really want to solve this, we have people like Those who will not allow research to be done even on gun violence.
“There are some reasonable things we can do to bring about change. This is not a violation of your rights.” second Amendment And the idea of putting some of these weapons out there, it just doesn’t make sense.”
WATCH: Walz asks, do you want schools to look like a fortress?
“Nobody is trying to intimidate anyone and say, ‘We’re taking away your guns.’ But I ask all of you, do you want your schools to look as harsh as a fortress?” Walz added.
The gun control group Everytown for Gun Safety said in a statement after the debate that “Voters heard two very different viewpoints about America’s gun violence crisis: J.D. Vance, who recently called school shootings a ‘fact of life’ And think the solution to the problem is more guns, or Tim Walz, who will work with Vice President Harris to make sure our children come home safe every night.”
Walz breaks internet with VP debate gaffe: ‘I’ve become friends with school shooters’
Senator J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, the Republican vice presidential nominee, speaks with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, during the vice presidential debate hosted by CBS News in New York on Tuesday, Oct. 1. (AP/Matt Rourke)
However, Gun Owners of America, a Second Amendment advocacy group, told Fox News Digital, “Kamala and Tim cause far more deaths with knives and hammers than guns.” Want to impose restrictions.”
Its director of federal affairs, Aidan Johnston, said, “Tragedy is never the fault of an inanimate object. There is always an evil person responsible – a criminal who will never obey any gun law.” “That’s why Gun Owners of America fights to protect our Second Amendment, which gives law-abiding citizens the right to fight back and protect themselves and their loved ones from becoming the next victim.”
Adam Kraut, executive director of the Second Amendment Foundation, said, “The Harris-Walz campaign has repeatedly made clear their intention to demonize peaceful gun owners and ban and confiscate the most popular guns in America.”
Randy Kozuch, executive director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, also told Fox News Digital in a statement that “Kamala Harris and Tim Walz make the most anti-gun presidential ticket in modern history.”
President Biden speaks during the Everytown for Gun Safety “Gun Sense University” conference on June 11 in Washington, DC. (Ken Cedeno/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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He said, “They hide behind political propaganda that they are gun owners in an effort to promote a radical agenda that will disarm law-abiding Americans.” “President Trump and Senator Vance are staunch supporters of the Second Amendment and will defend our constitutional freedoms in the White House.”
