I think it is very refreshing and encouraging to have an American president willing to stand up for our second amendment rights. One who will not be pressured by the current media feeding frenzy to sign into law even more useless gun laws.

The national media doesn't agree with me.

From the New York Times:

After Florida Shooting, Trump Focuses on Mental Health Over Guns

From Variety Magazine:

Trump Speaks of Need to Address Mental Illness, but Not Guns, in Wake of Florida Shooting

From CNBC:

Trump Focuses on Mental Health and School Security, Doesn't Mention Gun Laws

From ABC:

Trump cites mental health _ not guns _ in speech on shooting

From Newsweek:

Gun Control Versus Mental Illness: After Florida Shooting, Trump Deepens a Fraught Debate

And there's this from Vox:

Trump’s Florida shooting speech was one giant lie by omission

I could go on and on. There are very few, if any, media outlets saying:

Trump gets it right, mental illness, not guns the problem

Link to full statement text.

My fellow Americans, today I speak to a nation in grief.

Yesterday, a school filled with innocent children and caring teachers became the scene of terrible violence, hatred, and evil. Around 2:30 yesterday afternoon, police responded to reports of gunfire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school in Parkland, Florida, a great and safe community.

There, a shooter, who is now in custody, opened fire on defenseless students and teachers. He murdered 17 people and badly wounded at least 14 others. Our entire nation, with one heavy heart, is praying for the victims and their families.

To every parent, teacher and child who is hurting so badly, we are here for you, whatever you need, whatever we can do, to ease your pain. We are all joined together as one American family and your suffering is our burden also. No child, no teacher, should ever be in danger in an American school. No parent should ever have to fear for their sons and daughters when they kiss them good-bye in the morning. Each person who was stolen from us yesterday had full live ahead of them, a life full of wondrous beauty and unlimited potential and promise.

Each had dreams to pursue, love to give and talents to share with the world. And each one had a family to whom they meant everything in the world.

Today we mourn for all of those who lost their lives. We comfort the grieving and the wounded. And we hurt for the entire community of Parkland, Florida that is now in shock and pain and searching for answers.

To law enforcement, first responders, and teachers who responded so bravely in the face of danger, we thank you for your courage.

Soon after the shooting, I spoke with Governor Scott to convey our deepest sympathies to the people of Florida and our determination to assist in any way that we can. I also spoke with Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel.

I’m making plans to visit Parkland, to meet with families and local officials and to continue coordinating the federal response. In these moments of heartache and darkness, we hold on to God’s word in Scripture: “I have heard your prayer and seen your tears, I will heal you.”

We trust in that promise and we hold fast to our fellow Americans at their time of sorrow. I want to speak now directly to America’s children, especially those who feel lost, alone, confused or even scared.

I want you to know that you are never alone and you never will be. You have people who care about you, who love you, and who will do anything at all to protect you. If you need help, turn to a teacher, a family member, a local police officer, or a faith leader. Answer hate with love, answer cruelty with kindness. We must also work together to create a culture in our country that embraces the dignity of life that creates deep and meaningful human connections and that turns classmates and colleagues into friends and neighbors.

Our administration is working closely with local authorities to investigate the shooting and learn everything we can. We are committed to working with state and local leaders to help secure our schools and tackle the difficult issue of mental health.

Later this month, I will be meeting with the nation’s governors and attorneys general where making our schools and our children safer will be our top priority. It is not enough to simply take actions that make us feel like we are making a difference, we must actually make that difference.

In times of tragedy, the bonds that sustain us are those of family, faith, community and country. These bonds are stronger than the forces of hatred and evil and these bonds grow even stronger in the hours of our greatest need. And so always, but especially today, let us hold our loved ones close, let us pray for healing and for peace, and let us come together as one nation to wipe away the tears and strive for a much better tomorrow.

Thank you, and God bless you all. Thank you very much.

So true.

My wife, daughter and myself were discussing the same thing lastnight. My daughter turned on CNN when she got home from school yesterday. I told her to just watch how they will try and find anything to harp on Trump about. The reporter kept repeating that Trump had not brought up guns one time in his speech. Who, gives a rats that he didn't say the word gun in the speech, we all know what the weapon the individual used was.

I agree, the mental health issue needs to be addressed far more than the gun issue.

The kid looked sane enough when he was standing in front of the judge and the reality of what he had just done sank in. Society has coarsened and the adults are at war with each other. Anyone think the kids don't notice?

Maybe the president needs to address the Major news media as being mentally unstable.

That seem to omit the issue of two things here.

*******************************************************************************

One: the mentally affected person not being reported by the institution as to his condition.

Two: The lack of security at that school having ONE (1) security person in a 3 story school w/3200 students.

*********************************************************************************

A minimum of security would have been 4 people who roamed the halls.

Including one of them at the front doors.

All an extreme LACK of concern for the student body's safety.

Has there ever been a mass shooting that involved a mentally stable person? EVER?

It takes exceptional strength and courage to stand up to an orchestrated media opposition, and the control scheme of those who pull the strings of evil power, from hidden places, in order to advance their agenda of social engineering...America is the last bastion of freedom...Those who chip away and erode my rights in the name of safety are my sworn enemies, Any leader who defends freedom and stands in opposition to attacks on the constitution, the pledge of allegiance, and the national anthem...That's MY President!

It seems they could of hired a school recourse Office but they did not make that happen? Cowards pick schools because the victims are harmless they need to change that!

How about banning the thousands of mental warping killing games that are on the market that teaches young people lives don't mean anything.

I bet that young man wishes he could just push the reset button and start the game all over.

The gun was just what he used to carry out the act. I commend Trump for seeing this and wanting to deal with the real problem.

Gun control is not going to stop people from doing wrong if their mental state is to lash out and cause harm.

The ATFE are already SUPPOSED TO have access to "medical" records. The problem in at least two of these tragedies is that after the individual was adjudicated to be mentally unstable the court records were not entered into the system. In a couple of others the attending psychiatric PROFESSIONALS didn't forward their diagnosis to the courts. Maybe because they didn't want to label someone with the scarlet "M". I don't know. But I do agree with the previous post and many others, that we have hundreds of thousands of mentally ill people that are falling through the cracks. Tragically some of those cracks are in the background check system. I have personally refused to deliver a firearm to a person who by law was eligible to receive it. I called in the background check and waited the required three business days, no answer back from ATFE. Based upon my observation of the person's behavior, he pitched a fit when I told him the transfer was still in delay, I cancelled the transfer. I received a call from the ATFE TEN BUSINESS days after the initial contact inquiring about the transfer. I told them I had cancelled the transfer based upon my observation of his behavior, their response was "thank god". It turned out that he had a restraining order against him for threatening to kill his estranged wife. The courts were slow to transfer their records to the ATFE. Would he have killed his wife? I don't know, but I'm glad I didn't have to find out the hard way. After that incident I refused to deliver a firearm to anyone until I had a "proceed" from the ATFE. And sure enough I had another "delayed" that was not "denied" until seven business days after the initial contact.
I believe that any person who publicly posts on any media that they want to do harm to anyone should be prohibited from buying a gun. There are a lot of crazy people out there, and I believe it is everyone's responsibility to keep them from hurting themselves or others.

Trump just put guns into the hands of mentally ill individuals.

Very good..^^^ This guy got the intended gist of James' post.

Jim

The FBI couldn't find that guy? Horse feathers!

Many on this forum allow their dislike of other posters to impair their ability to think. No worries, it doesn't make you crazy.

So true, they were busy trying to find dirt on Trump and didn't have time to follow up on this.

I'm sick of the constant nitpicking of Trump by the media. Any little thing and they jump on it.

Blames mental illness... republican health plan doesn’t cover mental illness....

You 'spose an office visit and some pills would have prevented this? First of all the person has to want help.
It's not politically correct to force treatment on someone who don't want it.

Yall seen to forget that guns are robots with artificial intelligence. They go out, find people, and shoot them. That is why media speaks of gun violence, not people violence.

I’m not saying it would have made a difference on this situation. The irony just cracks me up...

Cowards pick schools because they're harmless and gun free.
Remember that kid who shot up those people in the movie theatre in Colorado? He passed up two theatres that were closer to his home and chose one farther away because it had a sign stating, "No Guns Allowed".