Raise age limit for assault rifles to 21, ‘harden’ our schools: Trump urges Congress and NRA to back gun control measures
There were no words of support from the rifle association for his age-limit proposal – and outright opposition from organisations of teachers and school security guards for the idea of arming schools to deal with intruders
Florida college student Sarah Gibson renewed her National Rifle Association membership with a credit card swipe at a conservative conference on Thursday, days after a deadly school shooting in her state triggered soul-searching about America’s gun violence.
“I don’t think guns are the problem, they’re in fact the answer,” the 20-year-old said. “When you have more security and you have more people carrying, that is deterrence in itself.”
Gibson and thousands of fellow Republicans converged on the Conservative Political Action Conference near Washington, where they go each year to celebrate their causes and, in 2018, the populist movement that swept President Donald Trump into office one year ago.
But it was impossible to ignore the ever-present tragedy of rampaging gun violence, which has roiled American political discourse and put gun rights advocates and opponents under a hot spotlight.
While a moment of silence was held to honour the 17 people killed at a Florida high school, CPAC’s attendees or speakers did not shy away from the issue. Several actually went on the offensive.
NRA chief Wayne LaPierre hit back at what he called “the shameful politicisation of tragedy”, fighting a rearguard defence against street protests and mounting demands to tighten America’s permissive gun laws.