Tennessee Republican Representative Marsha Blackburn was criticized after she proposed enlisting the help of armed military veterans, retired police officers, and even grandparents to prevent school shootings.
Blackburn's vision was centered around her SAFE Schools Act, a $900 million initiative aimed at fortifying educational institutions with enhanced security measures. However, critics argue that her plan fails to address the underlying issue of unrestricted access to powerful firearms.
Speaking to host Kayleigh McEnany during her appearance on Fox News, Blackburn expressed disappointment in the rejection of her proposal—which includes installing “bulletproof doors and the film on windows"—by Democrats, deeming their response "unseemly."
You can hear what Blackburn said in the video below.
Blackburn said:
“To have this grant pool and to allow local school systems and local law enforcement to work together to bring in veterans and retired law enforcement to serve as a security officer at a school — they know how to use weapons."
"They know to de-escalate situations. I’ve talked to a lot of them. They like this idea."
"They are grandparents like we are — my husband and I are grandparents — and they want to be there to help protect children.”
Despite the undeniable public support for stricter gun control measures, even within conservative circles, Blackburn remains steadfast in her defense of the Second Amendment.
While her proposed solution focuses on enhancing school security, critics argue that it sidesteps the pressing issue of gun control reform.
Blackburn was called out by critics who said that simply fortifying schools without addressing the root cause of gun violence will only yield limited results.
\u201cMarsha is another problem we need to fix.\nEven her home town paper calls her a crook.\n\nSen. Marsha Blackburn Proposes Armed Grandparents Guarding Schools To Kayleigh McEnany\n\nhttps://t.co/c8nykDu5y5\u201d— Kimberly Morgan\ud83d\udc1f 26947 #FollowBackResistance# BLM (@Kimberly Morgan\ud83d\udc1f 26947 #FollowBackResistance# BLM) 1683726391
\u201cFail to see how the @GOP Blackburn plan to arm grandparents to patrol school halls would work since the @GOP plan to force old people to work themselves to death saves more $. Insanity prevails.\nhttps://t.co/6yKIKVDy9P\u201d— Reggie Morrisey (@Reggie Morrisey) 1683736953
\u201cMarsha Blackburn proposed a grandparents militia to guard schools! Old people with guns! What could possible go wrong???(p.s. apologies to old people of which I am one!)\ud83e\udd23\u201d— Pat thatcher (@Pat thatcher) 1683745345
\u201cAs a grandparent myself, I promise you: you do not want me wielding a gun for ANY reason. I'm more apt to shoot a light fixture or a school bus than an active shooter.https://t.co/IBBOaXLvJC\u201d— LaffRiot \ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@LaffRiot \ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1683738396
\u201cYeah, send peepaw and meemaw to school to shoot kids there, so they don't have to shoot them in their yards, I guess. \ud83e\udd26\ud83c\udffb\u200d\u2640\ufe0f\ud83d\ude21\ud83e\udd2c\ud83e\udd2c Sen. Marsha Blackburn Proposes Armed Grandparents Guarding Schools To Kayleigh McEnany https://t.co/7aouJ5uUwy\u201d— Auntie CC \ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b (@Auntie CC \ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b) 1683731155
\u201cMarsha Blackburn has found the solution to TWO problems, (a) killings of school children and (b) the growing weight of Social Security and Medicare in the public debt:\n\nARM RETIREES AND USE THEM TO DEFEND SCHOOLS AGAINST MASS SHOOTERS.\n\nHappy retirement! https://t.co/yVddtTFlfQ\u201d— Frank Sansarricq (@Frank Sansarricq) 1683721563
\u201cYes, because seniors are noted for their superb hearing, vision and split-second decision making. \nSen. Marsha Blackburn Proposes Armed Grandparents Guarding Schools To Kayleigh McEnany\n\nhttps://t.co/I6U1FGfzqx\u201d— Doug Wise (@Doug Wise) 1683736761
\u201cSenator Marsha Blackburn says grandparents could join a force of armed military vets and retired police officers to protect schools from shootings.\n\nOh so don\u2019t have stricter gun laws, just give grandma and grandpa a gun and drop them off at the school. \nhttps://t.co/jzegge7JYi\u201d— Cliff W (@Cliff W) 1683754935
Blackburn is ranked 13th on the list of senators who have received the most money from the National Rifle Association (NRA), having accepted over $1.3 million in donations.
In March, she was called out for her inaction on the matter of gun violence after she asked her Twitter followers to "join" her and her husband "in prayer for those affected" by the shooting at Nashville's Covenant School, which left three children and three adults dead.
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