Political Tribune

2024, Guns, J.D. Vance, JD Vance, Opinion

Internet Responds To JD Vance’s Attempts To Sound Like A Normal Human After Georgia Tragedy And It’s Downright Brutal

He deserves this kind of response.

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609 points

At a recent rally in Phoenix, Arizona, JD Vance, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, shared his views on two pressing issues: school shootings and the rising costs of daycare. Vance’s responses to these serious concerns have left some baffled, as he suggested turning to family members for help with childcare and toughening school security as the key measures to combat the ongoing school shooting crisis. His remarks reflect a recurring theme in his political stance—offloading responsibilities from the government to individuals and families, a sentiment echoed in a recent healthcare proposal.

School Shootings: “A Fact of Life”

Addressing the ongoing epidemic of school shootings, Vance delivered a grim assessment of the reality that many Americans face today. “We don’t have to like the reality that we live in, but it is the reality we live in,” Vance remarked. “If these psychos are going to go after our kids, we’ve got to be prepared for it.” His solution? Rather than enacting stricter gun laws, Vance proposed hardening school security as the best line of defense.

“I don’t like that this is a fact of life,” Vance admitted, referring to the consistent and tragic pattern of school shootings in America. “But if you are a psycho and you want to make headlines, you realize that our schools are soft targets. We’ve got to bolster security so if a psycho wants to walk through the front door and kill a bunch of children, they’re not able.”

Vance’s remarks come on the heels of the latest school shooting in Winder, Georgia, where four lives were tragically lost. He noted that while he sympathizes with the victims and their families, he believes the answer to preventing future tragedies lies not in gun control but in securing schools. “We’ve got to deal with it,” Vance said.

This approach has drawn mixed reactions. While some may appreciate the call for action, others point out that Vance’s focus on fortifying schools does little to address the root causes of gun violence or the easy access to firearms that contributes to these tragedies.

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Gun Control vs. Security: A GOP Pattern
We did a very thoughtful piece on gun policy HERE.  Vance’s stance isn’t isolated within the Republican Party. During a recent press conference following the Georgia shooting, Governor Brian Kemp was asked about school safety, but his response left many stunned by its lack of substance. Instead of offering concrete solutions, Kemp offered the standard “thoughts and prayers” and avoided addressing the need for gun reform altogether.

Kemp’s non-answer to the question of what can be done to make schools safer exemplified the GOP’s reluctance to engage with the real issue of gun access in America​.  Instead of tackling the growing calls for reform, Kemp and other Republicans like Vance continue to shift the conversation to security measures, ignoring the elephant in the room—America’s lax gun laws.

Like Kemp, Vance brushed aside the idea that tighter restrictions on gun ownership could reduce the frequency of school shootings. Instead, he suggested that the problem of gun violence is so deeply embedded in American society that no level of reform could prevent these tragedies entirely. This stance mirrors the approach taken by many Republicans who view any attempt to limit access to firearms as an infringement on Second Amendment rights.

A National Outlier: America’s Gun Violence Crisis
Vance’s reluctance to engage in gun control discussions stands in stark contrast to the policies proposed by Democrats. Vice President Kamala Harris, for example, has been a vocal advocate for banning AR-15-style rifles and instituting stronger background checks. Harris has also supported programs that allow law enforcement to temporarily seize firearms from individuals deemed dangerous by a judge. These “red flag” laws have been a critical part of the Biden administration’s gun control agenda.

Despite this, Vance and his allies in the Republican Party remain adamant that gun restrictions are not the answer. They argue that mass shootings occur in states with both strict and lax gun laws, thus rendering gun control ineffective. However, data from the Gun Violence Archive paints a different picture. The U.S. experienced 647 mass shootings in 2022 alone, with many of these incidents occurring in states with relatively loose gun laws. Moreover, compared to other developed nations, the U.S. stands as an outlier in terms of firearm deaths, with a death rate more than double that of Canada and exponentially higher than countries like the UK and Japan.

The Limits of “Hardened” Security
Vance’s emphasis on bolstering school security also raises concerns about the effectiveness of this approach. While increasing security at schools may prevent some shootings, it doesn’t address the broader problem of gun access. Critics argue that fortifying schools turns them into militarized zones, which could have adverse effects on the learning environment. Moreover, no amount of security can fully prevent an individual determined to carry out an attack from doing so, particularly when firearms are so easily accessible.

Governor Kemp’s approach following the Georgia tragedy echoed these concerns. Kemp offered no specifics on how to harden school security or make schools safer beyond offering state resources to the community​.  This lack of detail underscores the GOP’s reliance on broad, non-specific solutions to complex issues.

Vance himself acknowledged that he doesn’t like the idea of sending his own children to a school with increased security, but argued that it’s the unfortunate reality Americans must accept. “But that’s increasingly the reality that we live in,” Vance said, a comment that encapsulates the resignation many feel about the current state of gun violence in the country.

The Need for Comprehensive Reform
Vance’s comments, much like Kemp’s, highlight a broader problem within the current debate over gun violence. While fortifying schools might make them less vulnerable to attacks, it does nothing to address the root causes of the problem—namely, the easy availability of firearms and a lack of comprehensive gun control laws. Democrats like Kamala Harris are calling for more robust reform, while Republicans continue to focus on security measures that treat the symptoms rather than the cause.

The question remains: Will Americans accept Vance’s vision of fortifying schools and living with the reality of gun violence, or will they demand more substantial reforms that address the problem at its source? As the 2024 election approaches, gun violence will undoubtedly be a critical issue, and voters will have to decide whose approach they trust to keep their children and communities safe.

Featured image via screengrab and altered with additional imagery.

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Shay Maz

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Shay Maz has been a political writer for many years. This is a pseudonym for writing; if you need to contact her - you may do so here: https://x.com/SheilaGouldman

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