Executive Fiat in Action! Rhode Island Governor Bans Guns in Schools

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Executive Fiat in Action! Rhode Island Governor Bans Guns in Schools

Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo with school commissioner Ken Wagner.  (Photo: Fox RI)

The ruling class in Rhode Island this week banned guns in public schools with the exception of law enforcement.

Gov. Gina Raimondo made the announcement Wednesday alongside school commissioner Ken Wagner.

“It isn’t hard: Guns don’t belong in schools. Even Mississippi bans non-law enforcement officials from carrying guns onto school grounds,” said Raimondo in a press release.

Quick fact check. Raimondo’s wrong.  Mississippi does allow individuals with enhanced concealed carry permits to bring firearms onto public school property.

“As we start a new school year, our students cannot wait a minute longer for the General Assembly to take action on the Safe Schools Act,” she continued. “The Rhode Island Department of Education has issued a binding directive to every school district that immediately bans firearms from our kids’ schools.”

In other words, instead of allowing government to function the way it’s supposed to, with lawmakers making the laws, Raimondo enacted an order by executive fiat.

Wagner backed up that play by suggesting there was some sort of confusion about the existing law.

“It’s our job to protect kids and their teachers,” said Wagner. “Inconsistencies among laws, regulations, and local policies and practices create confusion, producing the exact kind of unsafe environment the law is intended to prevent. As we start a new school year, this directive provides clarity, until such time that the underlying laws are reconciled.”

There was no confusion about the law. Concealed carriers were allowed to bring firearms into public schools. Plain and simple. Raimondo and Wagner just wanted to put a stop to that. The question is why? Because if it’s really about protecting kids and teachers then they have it all wrong. They should ban cops before they ban concealed carriers. Seriously.

Research shows that when compared to cops, concealed carriers commit fewer homicides, firearms violations, misdemeanor and felony offenses.  Concealed carries are more law-abiding than cops and are convicted at a lower rate. The question can be asked, then, who presents more of a threat to “the children”? The average cop or the average concealed carry?

Please, I’m not suggesting that law enforcement and armed student resource officers don’t belong in schools. Just pointing out that this assumption by government that all cops are White Knights has real limitations. When you break it down the truth is that Raimondo and Wagner aren’t against guns in schools, they’re just against armed citizens having guns in schools. And based on data and what we know about concealed-carry culture that position doesn’t hold water, especially if one accepts that armed resistance is the best way to foil a would-be killer.  What they need to recognize is that cops are not the only good guys with guns, they’re not the only ones willing and capable of confronting an armed attacker.

Suppose a young Rhode Island mother has a concealed carry permit because her crazy ex physically abused her and her son. When she goes to pick up her son from school, that crazy ex now knows that she is unarmed. She is vulnerable. What’s stopping him from attacking her in the parking lot?  The cop that’s way inside the building?  As they say, when seconds count…

Anyways, what’s not clear, at least at this point, is the penalty for those concealed carriers caught violating Raimondo’s order. I reached out to her office for clarification. We’ll see if she responds.

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About the author: S.H. Blannelberry is the News Editor of GunsAmerica.

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  • Jay September 2, 2018, 10:20 am

    Say there Governor, you might to personally inform the criminal element in your Sate first!

  • RayJN August 31, 2018, 9:54 pm

    The gun banners will never be influenced by facts.

  • Boris August 31, 2018, 10:58 am

    Thank Goodness! Finally some “common sense” gun legislation. Now children in RI are finally safe in school. A crazed gunman intent on murdering innocent children will never go onto school grounds armed with a gun now…

  • Resolute August 31, 2018, 10:55 am

    Answer me this:
    What would theses Nationalist Social Democrats currently in office if the President of the United States were to mandate a ban on all public/private security provided to ALL persons holding any public office?

  • Russ August 31, 2018, 10:29 am

    Just more proof that libertard lunacy is alive on the east coast also.

  • fucknugget August 31, 2018, 10:04 am

    “The state must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people. As long as the government is perceived as working for the benefit of the children, the people will happily endure almost any curtailment of liberty and almost any deprivation.”

    ― Adolf Hitler

  • Fuckit August 31, 2018, 10:03 am

    The politcos aren’t ignorant. They are complicit. They WANT more school shootings. They WANT more dead kids. Rule through fear. WAKE THE FUCK UP PEOPLE!!!

    “The state must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people. As long as the government is perceived as working for the benefit of the children, the people will happily endure almost any curtailment of liberty and almost any deprivation.”

    ― Adolf Hitler

  • joefoam August 31, 2018, 8:50 am

    Yep, create another gun free zone, and a potential for a mass shooting per all the statistics. Apparently these folks have no ability for logical thought, only emotion. More pandering to the ignorant masses.

  • Chris August 31, 2018, 8:23 am

    Just remember: Columbine was 19 years ago and next year already has its 20th anniversary. And you know what? At the time it happened, the school was already a place where no guns were allowed, therefore a gun free zone. Yet, did it stop Columbine, or any other school shooting after that? No! How blind can these politicians be? School shootings need to be fought, yes, but this is not the right way, it’s just the total opposite! Why can’t these people actually learn from history, which teaches us that by prohibiting guns at schools, or any other place, we just invite the mentally ill guys to start the next massacre? Choices like this let you really lose your faith into the good of humanity.

  • Dean Davis August 31, 2018, 8:03 am

    The governor is right, guns don’t belong in school, except for shooting sports and maybe training. However, the bad guys don’t care about that and will bring them in anyway and there will be no law abiding citizen there to stop them.

  • wayne August 31, 2018, 7:04 am

    That will be a prime target for another school shooting!!!!

  • Joe August 31, 2018, 6:49 am

    Brilliant rmove there Governor. I wonder who is going to tell the next shooter…

  • Jaque August 30, 2018, 8:24 pm

    The communists care not about human life safety as their reason for banning guns even though that is their public position. Look at their logic. They are the nations Abortion party. Abortion as in murder of babies. So does it make sense that baby killers want guns banned to stop killing by guns. Of course not.
    The communists, and yes democrats and progressives are communists only worry about their own lives. And communists would prefer to take over without patriots shooting them dead. And that is why they want all civilian guns banned and confiscated. But you know that, right ?

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