Texas congressman: Principal should have been armed for self-defense
(CNN) - U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert said the deadly Connecticut school shooting could have been halted sooner if staff at the school had been equipped with guns.
"I wish to God (the principal) had had an M4 in her office, locked up, so when she heard gunfire she pulls it out … and takes him out, takes his head off before he can kill those precious kids," the Republican from Texas said on "Fox News Sunday."
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The gun control debate has been renewed since 20 students and six adults were killed Friday at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Many lawmakers and politicians have called for the renewal of the federal assault weapons ban, a piece of legislation that expired in 2004 at the end of its 10-year term but has yet to be renewed.
Gohmert argued that as the country takes on a conversation about gun rights, people must be "open-minded." He said emotional reactions will naturally lead to a desire to "get rid of all guns," but he said that "you (should) use your head and look at the facts."
"Every mass killing of more than three people in recent history has been in a place where guns were prohibited, except for one," he said, arguing for looser gun laws so more people can be armed for self-protection. "They know no one will be armed."
Gohmert made headlines in July when he made similar remarks, saying more deaths could have been prevented in the Aurora, Colorado, movie theater shooting if someone could have fired back at the gunman.
Asked why people need guns in places such as schools, malls and movie theaters, Gohmert said, "For the reason George Washington said, 'A free people should be an armed people.' "
The Second Amendment, he said, "ensures against the tyranny of the government if they know the biggest army is the American people."
On a separate show Sunday, former Education Secretary William Bennett made a similar argument, saying the political debate should be put on hold while emotions are still high.
"The whole nation is mourning. It's an important moment. Let the tears dry before we head off into all these directions at once," he said on NBC's "Meet the Press."
Bennett, a Republican, also agreed with the idea that schools should have a gun.
"I'm not so sure I wouldn't want one person in a school armed, ready for this kind of thing," he said. "It would have to be someone who's trained, someone who's responsible, but my God if you can prevent this kind of thing."
I think the good Representative should practice what he preaches. Remove the metal detectors and allow guns into the halls of Congress for anyone working or visiting there. That way the Congressmen and women can pack their own weapons so if trouble arises they can ride to the rescue as per his suggestion. Too often Congress applies one set of rules for the general population, and get to hide behind another set for themselves.
I have but one word for this guy "certifiable"!!!!!
Bravo! At least there a still a few Congressmen that "get it". The only thing I disagree with is the locked up part. The principal should be carrying concealed all the time. My sincere hope is that all of the Socialist/Collectivists will finally break apart the US into Red vs Blue, Good vs Pure Evil and The Red states can reclaim what used to be the best country on this planet and let the blue states fall into the 3rd world cesspool that the Liberals want it to be.
For NRA nuts, the solution to every problem is more guns, bigger guns, more ammo. I guess this congressman wants to arm every school principal with assault weapons and mandate they get training. What happens the first time a some nut job employed at a school grabs the weapon and shoots kids? That's more likely than the weapon successfully being used to defend against a would-be killer.
Shameful! What a complete idiot.
What a great idea! Children going to school seeing real, honest-to-god firepower in the teacher's desk drawer and the principal's wall cabinet. I've got to wonder how much the NRA paid this idiot to make that statement.
I am so glad to have left Texas and its extremism.
Texas...what IS wrong with that place? Bush, Perry, this moron... Is it something in the water that makes the politicians from there absolute idiots? PLEASE SECEDE!
All I can say is WOW. This is what is wrong with the debate and our Congress. Arm teachers? Let's not try to deal with the issues of mental health and access to guns, but keep arming more people so we can have a shoot out in elementary schools. This guy should be impeached and run back to Texas. Funny how he forgets that the only way the west was tamed was by limiting guns, not arming even more people. This murderer took his mothers guns and killed innocent children and we need to deal with that.
It is a proven fact that people who are armed do not run to the action in these types of spontaneous attacks.
How stupid! It was way too late anyway for anyone to help. And adding another gun is insanely stupid.
This should be the poster picture when we talk about people with mental health issues!
Louie Gohmert is short of a few marbles, is not the first time he makes some outrageous comment. If people re elect this buffoon they get what they deserve.
We need gun control and gun safety and most of all we should be talking about getting people the mental health help they so need. It is more than making more gun laws. Several things need to be looked at. Why can anyone walk into a gun show and buy any gun they want without background checks. Maybe gun shows need to be banned. Guns are way to easy to get.
Yes Crazy guy from Texas. What if the teacher or the Principal is the one who looses it and begin firing on the kids, then who should be armed? The kids?
Yes let's go back to the old time ,like in the western movies. Why don't you try it there in Texas?
People like this congressmen are the precise problem we have in this country. They want to solve gun problems by distributing more guns to people!!!!! and that to in schools???
I Believe In The 2nd Amendment: All Americans Have The Right To Bare Arms
But The Right To Bare Arms, Does Not Mean The Right To Build Stockpiles Of Semi-Automatic Weapons
And When Did The NRA Replace The 2nd Amendment
By Placing The Selling Of Semi-Automatic Weapons Over The Safety Of American Citizenry
The Founders Did Not Have Automatic Weapons & Semi-Automatic Weapons In Mind..
When They Implemented The 2nd Amendment
Good lord, we have elected officials who are idiots. Why do most of them seem to come from Texas? Heaven help us all.
Bless their hearts.
This is the height of stupidity to say and go school with gun not pen ? what should kids learn gun fighting ?
Is this guy for real?
The mother was armed why was she not able to stop him even before getting to the school.
Look, even if this elementary school had a full-time, licensed guard on duty, there would have still been bloodshed.
I am not trying to be mean about this, I am just saying....
So equipping teachers may or may not be feasible. However, I think there needs to be a greater focus on parents being parents. I think gun owners should start showing greater responsibility in securing their weapons, and making absolute sure that minors and mentally ill peoplle do not have easy access to guns.
Let me just add this –
It would be well worth my tax dollars to start placing armed, fully trained security guards in these public schools. I would rather see armed guards, than armed teachers. That way, more people can be put to work, and teachers can focus on instructing the kids.
Only Fox News would give air time to a person like Rep Gohmert who is a mouth piece for the NRA.
If arming schools is the answer from our elected representative, God save this country. We should be removing guns rather than adding more.