Congressman Thomas Massie continues to prove that he is one of the most pro-liberty representatives in D.C.
On June 12, Massie went on 55KRC to discuss his introduction of the Safe Students Act. Under this legislation, “the one-size-fits-all federal ban on guns in school zones” would be eliminated.
Since the Virginia Beach shooting, the issue of gun control quickly came back into the national discussion. As expected, renewed cries for gun control instantly came into the picture. Emotions run high during these events, but they often cloud people’s judgment.
Interestingly, the perpetrator of the shooting, DeWayne Craddock, acquired his gun legally by going through the standard background check that every American citizen must go through to acquire a gun. So, any more gun control is security theater at best and would have proven futile in stopping him.
Instead of offering some milquetoast half-measure or even capitulating to the anti-gun pressure, Massie presented a pro-liberty alternative to this dilemma—getting rid of gun-free zones at school. By introducing the Safe Students Act, the Gun-Free School Zones Act (GFSZA) of 1990 would be repealed in order to allow teachers to carry firearms in self-defense.
Massie introduced similar legislation in 2017 and 2018 in hopes of repealing this law. In 2017, Massie defended his legislation stating that “Gun-free school zones are ineffective. They make people less safe by inviting criminals into target-rich, no-risk environments. Gun-free zones prevent law-abiding citizens from protecting themselves, and create vulnerable populations that are targeted by criminals.”
Curiously, the GFSZA had bipartisan support, with 2020 Democratic Party Presidential front-runner Joe Biden introducing this legislation and Republican President George H.W. Bush signed this bill into law. Since 1950, 98 percent of mass shootings have taken place in gun-free zones, with schools being one of the primary locations that these atrocities are carried out in. With nearly 30 years in existence, it’s become abundantly clear that the GFSZA is a failure.
To his credit, Massie has acknowledged this obvious trend and has the courage to do what’s right. It might not be the most popular idea, but someone has to start the conversation about repealing gun-free zones. Such a measure would save countless lives and bring back more autonomy to local school districts when it comes to providing security services.
At this juncture, there’s no need to keep legislation that has repeatedly failed intact.
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