Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Florida Governor Rick Scott Just Signed a Gun Bill the NRA Hates

Florida Governor Rick Scott Just Signed a Gun Bill the NRA Hates
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Finally, after endless debate and countless shootings in schools all across the United States, it seems the first steps are finally being made towards gun reform. On Friday, March 9, Florida Governor Rick Scott signed into law the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, a bi-partisan compromise bill that regulates many aspects of purchasing a gun that came into play prior to the shooting in Parkland.


Many Americans are hoping similar steps will be taken in other states, if not at a federal level.

In some ways, the new law is a big step for those who have called for stricter gun control.

But it also includes some controversial sections, including a measure to arm some teachers and a conspicuous lack of legislation regarding assault rifles..

This legislation was clearly influence by the #NeverAgain movement, spearheaded by survivors of the shooting in Parkland, Florida.

On February 14, a gunman killed 17 innocent people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. In the wake of this terrible tragedy, many survivors became vocal advocates of stricter gun control laws, appearing all across the media and organizing the March for Our Lives, which will take place in Washington D.C. on March 24 and is expected to host 500,000 people.

Governor Scott doesn't agree with everything in the bill, especially the passage which allows the armament of teachers. He addressed this during the conference by saying:

I still think law enforcement officers should be the ones who protect our schools. I've heard all the arguments for teachers to be armed and, while this bill would significantly change on this topic, I'm still not persuaded. I'm glad, however, the plan is not mandatory, which means it be up to local elected officials.

Some Twitter users, however were skeptical of his sincerity.

Tony Montalto, father of one of the Parkland shooting victims, read a statement following the bill's signage:

When it comes to preventing future acts of horrific school violence, this is beginning of the journey. We have paid a terrible price for this progress. We call on more states, to follow Florida's lead, and create meaningful legislation to make all schools safer.

Though most seem to agree the bill is at least a step in the right direction, the NRA is vehemently opposed to it.

They filed a lawsuit against the state of Florida almost immediately. Their largest qualm with the bill is its restriction on buying guns until a person is 21 years of age. The NRA argues that this violates individuals 2nd and 14th amendments. The second amendment famously upholds an individuals right to bear arms, while the 14th defines what constitutes a U.S. citizen and forbids States (like Florida) from infringing on any constitutionally granted rights. The lawsuit claims that at the age of 18, Americans are considered adults "for almost all purposes and certainly for the purposes of the exercise of fundamental constitutional rights."

After all, if you can enlist in the military at 18, shouldn't you legally be allowed to own a gun?

Though the perfect answer to America's gun violence problem still eludes lawmakers, bills like the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act are a definite improvement on what America has typically done after a mass-shooting: nothing. Perhaps with forward steps like this one, we may find ourselves in a much safer world before long.

H/T - Twitter, CNN

More from News

James Talarico; Stephen Colbert
CBS

Stephen Colbert Rips CBS For Banning Interview With Texas Democrat Due To FCC Threat

Late-night host Stephen Colbert criticized CBS for attempting to ban him from interviewing Texas Senate candidate James Talarico, and from even mentioning the interview on air, due to threats from Brendan Carr, the chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Talarico, who represents Texas in the state House, has previously made headlines for calling out Texas Republicans for "trying to force public schools" to display the Ten Commandments and has generated significant buzz as a forceful voice for Democrats in a state largely in the hands of the GOP.

Keep Reading Show less
American Girl Dolls; Tweet by @deestiv
Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post/Getty Images; @deestiv/X

American Girl Dolls Just Got An 'Ozempic' Makeover For The 'Modern Era'—And People Are Not Impressed

There's nothing quite like the grip American Girl dolls had on Millennials during the mid-1990s and early 2000s.

Created in 1986 by the Pleasant Company, American Girl dolls were meant to model positive core values with dolls that resembled young women from various time periods across American history and different favorite hobbies, like horseback riding and cheerleading.

Keep Reading Show less
A line of rotisserie chickens with a reaction from X overlayed on top.
UCG / Contributor/Getty Images

'Wall Street Journal' Ripped After Saying Millennials And Gen Zers Are 'Splurging' On 'Rotisserie Chickens' Instead Of Buying Homes

It's sadly all too common for older generations to look down on millennials and criticize their constant complaining about how "hard" life is and how they can't afford to be homeowners.

That criticism almost always ignores factors like the rising cost of housing, increasingly low salaries, and a continuous housing shortage.

Keep Reading Show less
Cardi B
Aaron J. Thornton/WireImage/Getty Images

Cardi B Claps Back Hard At Homeland Security After They Mock Her For Threatening To 'Jump' ICE At Her Concert

People unfamiliar with rap music may not know much about the art form or its stars.

The majority of the world might only know Cardi B as one of the women—with Megan Thee Stallion—behind the song "WAP" that was certified Platinum nine times in just the United States before hitting Diamond eligible status in late 2025 with 10 million units sold.

Keep Reading Show less
Donald Trump
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Trump Roasted After Making Bonkers Comparison Between Gas Prices In Iowa And California

President Donald Trump was widely mocked for making a nonsensical comparison between gas prices in Iowa versus California during a ceremony at the White House in which he was given an award for being the "undisputed champion of beautiful clean coal."

Trump's recognition reportedly came from the Washington Coal Club, a pro-coal advocacy organization with financial links to the sector. The award was presented by James Grech, chief executive of Peabody Energy, the nation’s largest coal producer. The bronze trophy depicts a miner equipped with a headlamp and pickaxe.

Keep Reading Show less