YouTube star Jake Paul told millions of social media followers this week that a key to preventing mass shootings is an outright ban on gun shows.
One of social media’s most popular young content creators recently traveled to Florida to meet with families affected by the Feb. 14 Parkland massacre. His latest video for 14 million subscribers, “It’s Time To End School Shootings,” along with a tweet to over 3 million others put forth steps that he says will curb shootings.
“Gun Reform changes we need in my opinion,” he tweeted Monday. “1. be at least 21 to buy a gun 2. Go through a 6 month minimum course (similar to a drivers license course) 3. Professional Mental Heath evaluation 4. Ban Gun shows now! 5. 30 day wait period after purchase to receive firearm.”
The list buttressed points he made in his YouTube video, which included an interview with Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.
The YouTube creator’s suggestions include:
- Bulletproof windows should be inside classroom doors.
- Schools need more resource officers.
- Social media companies should be more proactive about recording and removing inappropriate images of guns.
- Students should have access to bulletproof shielding that fits inside a backpack.
- Schools should have check-in points that funnel threats to an area where security is prepared for a worst-case scenario.
“The best thing to do here is to stop someone before they even show up at the school and shoot it up,” Mr. Rubio told Mr. Paul. “I would just say that we haven’t had another 9/11 [terrorist attack], and it isn’t because of TSA; TSA does not really disrupt terrorist plots at the end. They’re there and have to be, but the way we really disrupt these plots is is we find out who the terrorists are before they do it and we arrest them. We don’t even let them get to the airport, much less get on a plane. And we need to take the same attitude with this.”
Gun Reform changes we need in my opinion.
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) March 12, 2018
1. be at least 21 to buy a gun
2. Go through a 6 month minimum course (similar to a drivers license course)
3. Professional Mental Heath evaluation
4. Ban Gun shows now!
5. 30 day wait period after purchase to receive firearm pic.twitter.com/pe7YXgLcR5
Mr. Paul, 21, acknowledged the Republican’s points and said that “we all want the same thing and that’s to make school’s safe.”
Nikolas Cruz, 19, was arrested after last month’s shooting and charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder in the first degree and 17 counts of attempted murder in the first degree. Prosecutors are pursuing the death penalty. At his arraignment on Wednesday, a judge entered a not-guilty plea on the behalf of the accused, who declined to speak before the court.
Fourteen students and three faculty members died during the rampage at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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