Gilbert Says Opponent’s Statement about Uvalde Shooting Is “Weak and Factually Wrong”

Terry Gilbert, Democratic Candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction, today called his opponent’s reaction to the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, “weak and factually wrong.”

“At least she didn’t offer ‘thoughts and prayers,’ which have become the buzzwords for those who don’t intend to do anything,” Gilbert said, “but she offered nothing positive and outrageously claimed that ‘the answers to this carnage haven’t been thought of yet.’”

“Nothing could be further from the truth,” Gilbert said, noting that many solutions have been proposed, and at least one has proven itself to work.

Gilbert pointed to the ban on assault weapons ban that was in effect in the 90s and early 2000s. Gun killings of six or more people decreased by 37% in the decade that the ban was in place, and shot up 183% in the decade after Republicans refused to renew it.

“That ban worked, and I’m confident that other measures, like universal background checks, will do their part as well. Specifically, I’ve proposed an age limit of 21 to buy assault weapons, an idea that has drawn support around the country,” Gilbert said.

“It is simply unacceptable for someone who wants to be in charge of Idaho school children to essentially throw her hands in the air and say nobody has the solution,” Gilbert said, “to use an old cliché, ‘if she’s not part of the solution, she’s part of the problem.’”