President Trump on Feb. 22, 2018, hosted a discussion at the White House in the second year of his first term on the critical issue of firearms violence for a “listening session.” Also from the White House was Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos.

Attending the meeting were several surviving students and parents of deceased students from a tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, February 14, 2018, which killed 17 people and injured another 18.

Immediately after learning of the shooting, President Trump publicly offered his prayers and condolences to the victims’ families, writing, “no child, teacher or anyone else should ever feel unsafe in an American school.” Two days later, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump flew on Air Force One to the site of the tragedy where they spoke. They visited the hospital where eight of the injured had been admitted.

To open the White House meeting, Trump asked participants for suggestions and ideas for the future to make our country’s schools safer. One student asked for more active shooter trainings and a more coordinated response by agencies and individuals.

In a poignant and emotional comment, another student expressed: “I was born into a world where I have never experienced safety and peace,” during which other students nodded in agreement.

A parent who lost his daughter shouted out his rage toward the President: “There should have been one shooting and we should have fixed it! And I’m pissed. My child isn’t here. She’s in North Lauderdale at King David Cemetery!

During the White House listening session, Trump said he would ask the Congress to strengthen background checks on firearms purchases and to raise the age to buy a gun to 21. He also proposed that arming teachers could be one solution in stopping these tragedies. “If you had a teacher who is adept at firearms, they could very well end the attack very quickly,” he said.

Trump’s plan included arming up to 20% of the teachers to stop “maniacs” from attacking students. The following day, he called a “gun-free” school a “magnet” for criminals and tweeted, “Highly trained, gun adept, teachers/coaches would solve the problem instantly, before police arrive.”

Over the past several decades since the 1990s, gun violence has increased exponentially. Presidents from Clinton to Bush, Obama, and Biden have stepped up by showing our country their compassion and their empathy for the victims, their families, and friends, and for a frightened nation that demands an end to these senseless death........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)