Crosstalk: March 14, 2018

Since the shooting last month at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, there's been renewed debate about gun control. In fact tomorrow, in schools across the nation, there will be classroom 'walkouts' for 17 minutes in memory of the 17 person's who lost their lives in the shooting. However, others are using the protests as a means to push gun control.

Joining Jim to discuss some of these matters was Dave Workman. Dave is the communications director for the Second Amendment Foundation which exists to promote a better understanding about our constitutional heritage to privately own and possess firearms.

Dave began with the issue of the school 'walkouts'. They're getting a lot of support from a national gun control lobbying group called 'Every Town for Gun Safety'. This indicates that the 'walkouts' aren't totally student-led.

Then there's the phrase, 'Common sense gun control'. This seems to have a different meaning depending upon who you speak with. For Dave, the common denominator among such individuals is that they want to restrict firearms as much as possible, ban other classes of firearms and ultimately, '...treat the 2nd Amendment as a government regulated privilege rather than a constitutionally protected, fundamental right.'

Florida has passed legislation outlawing gun sales to people under the age of 21. Federal law, dating back to the Gun Control Act of 1968, allows young adults ages 18 to 20 to purchase rifles or shotguns. Handgun sales are restricted to people over age 21 and it's been that way for about 50 years. So what we have here is a situation where Florida has decided on its own to move that age up.

In response, the NRA has filed a lawsuit to stop that law from taking effect and Dick's Sporting Goods along with Walmart have decided not to sell guns or ammunition to anyone under age 21.

Does Dave believe that the Florida law would have prevented last month's shooting? Will hardening schools, strengthening background checks, mental health reform and reviewing funding proposals to prevent school violence make a difference? You decide after reviewing this edition of Crosstalk.