Watch: Matt Gaetz's solution to gun violence is to perpetually arm everybody everywhere
United States Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) suggested in a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives on Wednesday that the solution to effectively "responding" to mass shootings is to enable every American to walk around with a hidden weapon. Gaetz also insisted that Congress take seriously legislation put forth by right-wing lawmakers that would station armed guards in schools.
"Speaker [Nancy Pelosi (D-California)] says we need action. Well, we’re for action. How about the action of my bill to create a national stand your ground law to strengthen self-defense?" Gaetz, who has advocated for arming voters at polling places, posited.
"Or how about [North Carolina GOP Representative] Richard Hudson's bill for national concealed-carry?" Gaetz continued. "Or any number of proposals Republicans have offered to unlock the safe and secure environment when we have our military veterans and our former members of law enforcement able to carry a firearm responsibly in schools to be able to respond to these acts of violence?"
Watch below via Acyn:
\u201cGaetz: Speaker says we need action. Well, we\u2019re for action. How about the action of my bill to create a national stand your ground law?\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1654715106
Notably, nothing that Gaetz recommended actually contained methods of preventing future massacres. Instead, he only pushed foredoomed measures that would allow gun-toting individuals to potentially step in and intervene in an active shooter scenario.
This sums up a significant chunk of the responses that Gaetz received on social media.
\u201c@Acyn The GOP has unilaterally set the terms of the gun debate in America. The Democrats have basically conceded the fight. But recent history demonstrates that political reality is not impossible to change. \u2b07\ufe0f\nhttps://t.co/XdSOcerjFL\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1654715106
\u201c@Acyn The ability of these people to come up with literally countless options besides any gun safety laws is astounding.\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1654715106
\u201c@Acyn Why stop there. \n\nLet\u2019s issue every American an AR-15 for free and then every year celebrate an annual 12-hour period during which all criminal activity including murder is legal\u2026\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1654715106
\u201c@Acyn What the hell is the MATTER with these people?\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1654715106
\u201c@Acyn would people be able to "stand your ground" to police who are acting in a way that will kill someone? example, an unarmed man who has his neck knelt on for 6 minutes and is dying ?\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1654715106
\u201c@Acyn Then that law would apply to every single republican who is trying to stop us from protecting our children. I guarantee the moment they were approached by "a good guy with a gun" standing his ground they would change their mind.\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1654715106
\u201c@RemmyRobertson @Acyn Next law proposed by Republicans\nhttps://t.co/2F3uSXCAYH\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1654715106
Skepticism also emerged surrounding the practicality of Gaetz's and his colleagues' vision.
\u201c@Acyn So would the mother the police stopped and arrested for trying to save her children have the right to shoot the cops for their negligence as she tried to stand her ground?\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1654715106
\u201c@Acyn How does "action" to encourage more use of guns equate to gun control, Dr. Demento?\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1654715106
\u201c@Acyn So the gunman can say they were threatened by 10 year olds and walk after murdering kids? \nnope\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1654715106
\u201c@Acyn So the kids could have stood there ground while the officers cowered in a hallway?\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1654715106
\u201c@Acyn That's just what we need. School kids shooting at each other cause of a Stand Your Ground Law. Hallway fights over girls and homework will turn into gunfights. Can't wait to live in GOP America\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1654715106
\u201c@Acyn "Why won't the Speaker hold the vote for my legalized murder if you're white law?"\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1654715106
\u201c@Acyn WTF? So he wants to create a National bill to allow people to get away with shooting someone ANYWHERE because they felt "threatened"??? What is WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE???\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1654715106
\u201c@Acyn So is Gaetz saying that if only those kids had stood their ground, they'd be alive?\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1654715106
\u201c@Acyn A ntl database of gun deaths correlated w/various gun measures (fed & state) wld give us an idea of what works. Stand-your-ground &hardened schools seem to be wrongheaded solutions bound to not change much. But, if passed, data should be collected so an assessment can be done.\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1654715106
\u201c@Acyn How would your proposals have helped those 4th graders in Uvalde @mattgaetz?\n\nThey had firearms and a full police force there and it did not help keep those children alive.\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1654715106
\u201c@Acyn How many tourist were killed by homeowners over the years due to 'stand-your-ground' laws?!\n\nI seem to remember several glaring and, naturally very stupid, examples, people killed for ringing doorbells or approaching driveways - and stand your ground gave justification\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1654715106
