JD Vance faces backlash after calling school shootings ‘fact of life’ – National
Republican Vice Presidential Candidate JD Vance faces anger from Democrats after decrying school shootings as a “fact of life” and advocating for increased security over stricter gun control. “If these psychopaths come after our children, we have to be prepared,” Vance said at a rally in Phoenix, Arizona, just a day after a terrorist attack. Georgia school shooting leaves four dead. “We don’t have to like the reality we live in, but it is the reality we live in. We have to deal with it.” Asked by a reporter what steps should be taken to stop school shootings, the Ohio senator dismissed Democrats’ argument for tougher gun laws, saying shootings happen in states with both lax and strict laws. Instead, he said it makes more sense to give schools more money for security. The story continues below the advertisement “I don’t like that this is a reality,” Vance said. “But if you’re a psychopath and you want to make headlines, you know our schools are easy targets. And we need to have more security in our schools. We need to have more security so that if a psychopath wants to walk through the front door and kill a bunch of kids, he can’t do it.” 3:26 Georgia shooting: At least 4 dead, several injured after shots fired at Winder High School Vance said he doesn’t like the idea of his own children going to a school with heightened security, “but that’s increasingly the reality we live in.” His comments were immediately picked up by Kamala Harris presidential campaign team. “It doesn’t have to be this way. We can and will take action to protect our children,” read a message sent to X by the Democratic presidential candidate, along with an excerpt of Vance’s comments. The story continues below the advertisement School shootings aren’t just a fact of life. It doesn’t have to be this way. We can and will take action to protect our children. https://t.co/Oi8s9MfgvU — Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) September 6, 2024 Harris’ running mate, Governor Tim Walzalso weighed in, posting: “This is pathetic. We can’t abandon our children, they deserve better.” This is pathetic. We cannot abandon our children: they deserve better. https://t.co/ozYdvpDJ4u — Tim Walz (@Tim_Walz) September 6, 2024 The story continues below the advertisement The Democratic National Committee also criticized Vance in a statementwriting: “Let’s be clear: No matter what Donald Trump and JD Vance say, tragedies like this do not have to be a “fact of life,” and we do not simply have to “get over it” when Americans, including young children, are violently murdered.” Get the latest national news For news that impacts Canada and the world, sign up to receive breaking news alerts directly when it happens. But Vance has doubled down on his efforts to speak out on Phoenix, posting on X: “Kamala wants to take away security from our schools instead of protecting our children. Instead of addressing her own failures, she lies about what I said. More desperation from the biggest fraud in American politics.” Kamala wants to dismantle safety in our schools instead of protecting our children. Instead of facing her own failures, she lies about what I said. More despair from the biggest fraud in American politics. https://t.co/KNOwOtpcLx — JD Vance (@JDVance) September 6, 2024 Current trend Tim Walz’s Close Family Clarifies Situation Regarding Viral ‘Walz’s for Trump’ Photo 70-year-old man dies after Florida surgeon removes liver instead of spleen, attorney says He called the Georgia shootings a “terrible tragedy” and said the families needed prayers and sympathy. The story continues below the advertisement Vance spokesman William Martin also defended the politician’s comments, criticizing the Associated Press for a headline that said did not include full context of Vance’s statement, telling Fox News, “This is yet another case of fake news media “to lie brazenly about a Republican politician.” The Associated Press later corrected his initial title — “JD Vance Says School Shootings Are ‘Fact of Life,’ Calls for Better Safety,” — read “JD Vance Says He Laments School Shootings Are ‘Fact of Life,’” and wrote on X that they updated their filing “to add context to Vance’s partial quote.” This article replaces a previous article that was deleted to add context to Vance’s partial quote. — The Associated Press (@AP) September 6, 2024 The father of the 14-year-old suspect accused of killing four people at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, has been arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree murder. The story continues below the advertisement State authorities announced the charges against Colin Gray, 54, on Thursday. He was also charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter and eight counts of cruelty to children. Authorities said Thursday that the charges were filed because the father “knowingly” allowed his son, 14-year-old Colt Gray, to possess the military-style rifle used in the shooting. 2:14 Father of Georgia school shooting suspect charged with murder “His charges are directly related to the actions of his son,” Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said at Thursday night’s news conference. If convicted on all counts, Colin faces a maximum prison sentence of 180 years. More about the world More videos © 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc. Source link