Rep. Adam Kizinger (R-Ill.) on Sunday called on fellow Republicans to come to the table to find a “appropriate solution” to the country’s gun epidemic, raising the age limit to buy a gun, the Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran said. is a “no-brainer.”
“As a person who appreciates and believes in the Second Amendment, we must be the ones advancing a fair solution to gun violence,” he said in an interview with ABC News, “This Week” by Teenagers in Texas. More New York after the recent two mass shootings.
Kinzinger has previously opposed a ban on assault weapons, but on Sunday Told Nation World News’s Dana Basho He is “now open to one” – although he has previously appeared to lean toward implementing other security measures.
Congressman suggested that people could obtain a special license or receive training to own a semi-automatic rifle like the AR-15, which has recently become a firearm for mass shooting. He also called for raising the age to purchase a gun from 18 to 21, pointing out that last week’s Uvalde shooting, the Buffalo shooting and the 2018 Parkland, Florida, shooting would have barred gunmen from obtaining firearms legally. If such a law existed.
“I think raising the gun purchase age to 21 is a no-brainer,” he told ABC News’ Jonathan Carl. “We actually turned 21 the age of buying cigarettes without even blinking. I think we need to get there eventually.”
New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) last week proposed a similar age restriction for her own state in the wake of the Buffalo shootings. Such a proposal is easier said than done, however, in recent years federal courts have ruled that such an age limit is unconstitutional.
Kizinger also rejected adding more guns to schools as a means to keep students safe.
“If we think that just hardening or reducing schools – basically turning schools into military camps will be the answer, even if it works, which it won’t, but if it does, it’s that kind of thing.” The country isn’t the way I want it to live, is it?” They said. “I have a kid who is 4 months old now, will be going to school someday. I don’t want him to have a military ID to check him into the front gate of his elementary school.”
Former President Donald Trump recommended Friday that all schools have strong fences, metal detectors, an on-duty police officer or armed guard and an entrance. He also suggested the abolition of “gun-free school zones” so that staff could be armed. Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz also said last week that schools should have fewer doors and armed police officers should be stationed at entrances.
Trump said, “As the age-old adage, the only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good man with a gun.”
Kizinger declined to say, however, pointing out that the gunmen in last week’s shooting were outnumbered by law enforcement, but still managed to kill 21 people.
“There were 150 good people with guns in this shooting, who basically didn’t do anything until the Border Patrol SWAT showed up,” he told Nation World News during an interview on “State of the Union.” “We have to handle this, man. This is crazy.”
Kinzinger said he’s heard from fellow Republicans who agree with him privately on changing gun laws to prevent violence, but publicly “they wouldn’t say that” for fear of being a rival to gun rights.
“You’re going to get a bunch of attacks that say, You’re crazy, that’s my right, the Second Amendment, even though we all believe in the Second Amendment. We just believe that’s about it.” Fair things are,” he said. “Can we stop all this? No. Can we reduce it? Definitely. And we must do that now.”
