A U.S. Congressman recognizes that gun-free school zones don’t work and takes action to address the problem.
On January 3, 2017, U.S. Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) Chairman of the Congressional Second Amendment Caucus this legislative session, introduced H.R. 34, the “Safe Students Act” to repeal the Gun-Free School Zones Act (GFSCA) of 1990.
Currently, the GFSCA makes it “unlawful for any individual knowingly to possess a firearm at a place that the individual knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, is a school zone.”
“Gun-free school zones are ineffective. They make people less safe by inviting criminals into target-rich, no-risk environments,” Rep. Massie explained in his press release. “Gun-free zones prevent law-abiding citizens from protecting themselves, and create vulnerable populations that are targeted by criminals.”
The Crime Prevention Research Center issued a report on October 9, 2014, that found 92% of mass public shootings that occurred between January 2009 and July 2014 took place in gun-free zones. The law has proven ineffective when it comes to protecting people from crazed gunmen bent on harming those must vulnerable and unable to defend themselves.
A similar attempt to repeal the GFSCA was attempted in 2007 but failed to gain support. Perhaps this time will be different.
What is your take on repealing the Gun-Free School Zone Act? Will our children be safer? Let us know.
–by Michael Wisdom, Senior Contributing Editor, Texas & U.S. Law Shield Blog
The post Just Say No – to Gun-Free School Zones? appeared first on U.S. & Texas LawShield.