OPINION:
President Donald Trump hit back on Twitter at what he called the “Fake News” for improperly quoting him on his views of armed teachers in the classroom, saying he didn’t say “give teachers guns” but rather, in more levelheaded fashion, agreed to consider the idea as a means of stopping school shootings.
And so he should. Allowing teachers with concealed carry permits to bring their legally owned weapons into the classroom is one tool to fight school-place murders — and, not only that, it’s a promise this president made during campaign season.
Time to honor that promise.
First, Trump of today.
He tweeted: “I never said ’give teachers guns’ like was stated on Fake New @CNN & @NBC. What I said was to look at the possibility of giving ’concealed guns to gun adept teachers with military or special training experience — only the best. 20% of teachers, a lot, would now be able to …”
And he wrapped in a second tweet: “… immediately fire back if a savage sicko came to a school with bad intentions. Highly trained teachers would also serve as a deterrent to the cowards that do this. Far more assets at much less cost than guards. A ’gun free’ school is a magnet for bad people. ATTACKS WOULD END!”
In a third tweet, Trump added this: “…History shows that a school shooting lasts, on average, 3 minutes. It takes police & first responders approximately 5 to 8 minutes to get to site of crime. Highly trained, gun adept, teachers/coaches would solve the problem instantly, before police arrive. GREAT DETERRENT!”
He also added this, in yet another tweet: “…If a potential ’sicko shooter’ knows that a school has a large number of very weapons talented teachers (and others) who will be instantly shooting, the sicko will NEVER attack that school. Cowards won’t go there … problem solved. Must be offensive, defense alone won’t work!”
And of course, that’s one of the leading arguments for the Second Amendment right there — that it serves as a deterrent for crime. It’s a deterrence that doesn’t require shots fired, either. Just the knowledge that people are carrying — that they’re not easy pickings, vulnerable prey — keeps at bay armed criminals with evil intents. But if shots are required?
If evil permeates and intrudes anyway?
Well, at least the would-be victims wouldn’t be so much sitting ducks, waiting for police alert and response. At least, on scene, would be some who could fight fire with fire — who could return fire power with fire power.
That’s how several states already see it, including Colorado, Utah, Idaho and others, according to ArmedCampuses.org.
Yet, the idea of arming teachers is a massive distaste for the already anti-Second Amendment clamorers on the left. In other words: Achieving this sensible policy will not be easy.
Trump, along with his like-minded in politics, may have to fight the left-leaners on Capitol Hill, the teachers’ unions, the progressives, most in the media and even the queasy and timid of the Republican Party. But back in January 2016, while campaigning, Trump did tell a national audience that he would “get rid of gun-free zones on schools.” In the same speech, while speaking of gun-free zones on military bases, he also said this: “You know what a gun-free zone is to a sicko? That’s bait.”
It’s true.
And, Mr. President, it’s time.
With a new body count coming from the nation’s schools — and let’s face it, more very likely on the way — it’s high time to put into effect that promise and get more guns into the hands of the concealed carriers of America’s public education system.
Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter @ckchumley.
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