A heated debate erupted on Capitol Hill when Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a former middle school principal, yelled at his GOP colleagues on Wednesday and repeatedly called them “cowards” for not supporting stricter gun measures in the wake of the Nashville school shooting.
The exchange between Bowman, D-N.Y., and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., occurred just outside the House chamber and was widely circulated on social media after several journalists posted video of the encounter.
Bowman, a former principal at Cornerstone Academy for Social Action in the Bronx, can be heard yelling, “They’re all cowards! They won’t do anything to save the lives of our children at all!”
He continued: “Pressure them, force them to respond to the question: Why the hell won’t you do anything to save America’s children? Let them explain that all the way up to Election Day on 2024.”
Several lawmakers can been walking by Bowman without engaging, before Massie stops in front of him and says there’s never been a shooting at a school where teachers are allowed to carry guns.
“More guns leads to more death,” Bowman can be heard responding. “Look at the data. You’re not looking at any data.”
Massie, who in 2021 tweeted a holiday photo with family members holding guns and text asking Santa to “please bring ammo,” then asked Bowman if he would cosponsor legislation he introduced last year seeking to repeal a federal ban on guns in school zones. Massie has pointed to data from a controversial gun researcher to argue that such bans are ineffective.
At one point in Wednesday’s exchange, Massie can be heard telling Bowman to “calm down.”
“Calm down? Children are dying,” Bowman responded. “Nine-year-old children. The solution is not arming teachers.”
The debate came just two days after six people, including three children, were killed at a school in Nashville. Three 9-year-old students, a custodian, a substitute teacher and the head of school were killed in the attack.
Police said the suspected gunman shot through the locked doors of The Covenant School and was later killed in a confrontation with officers.
Congress has not advanced any new gun bills in the wake of the shooting, and Republicans have largely been opposed to any Democratic-backed measures to address gun violence.
In an email, a spokesperson for Massie said the representative had “accepted the challenge” from Bowman and explained the data that he has used to argue for a repeal of gun free school zones.
“When confronted with the facts, Mr. Bowman tried to shout Rep. Massie down,” the spokesperson said.
Bowman’s office declined to comment. In a tweet posted after the exchange, Bowman posted the video and used an expletive to say that Republicans will do nothing to address gun violence.
“We can’t calm down,” he said. “People are dying everyday while we wait.”
#Democrat #calls #Republicans #cowards #tense #exchange #gun #violence
