Progressive Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York got into a heated exchange with GOP Rep. Thomas Massie on the issue of gun control outside the House floor on Wednesday.
The argument began when the New York Democrat began yelling at his Republican colleagues as they left the chamber for not supporting more gun control measures after the Nashville school shooting on Monday, which left three children and three adults dead.
“They’re cowards! They’re all cowards!” he screamed. “They won’t do anything to save the lives of our children at all. Cowards!” Bowman continued. “Pressure them. Force them to respond to the question, ‘Why the hell don’t you do anything to save America’s children?’ And let them explain that all the way up to Election Day in 2024.
“They’re freaking cowards! They’re gutless,” he added.
Massie stopped to ask Bowman what he was screaming about, and when the Democrat told him “gun violence,” the Kentucky Republican told him calmly, “You know, there’s never been a school shooting in a school that allows teachers to carry.”
That didn’t sit well with Bowman, who screamed back, “More guns lead to more death,” insisting Massie “look at the data.”
Bowman accused Massie, who tried to calm him down, of “carrying the water for the gun lobby.”
Eventually Massie turned his attention to reporters after realizing there was no productive conversation to be had with Bowman.
“You’re just screaming at me,” Massie said. “We have guns here to protect us, and he doesn’t believe that kids should have somebody to protect them.”Both lawmakers commented on the exchange on Twitter.
He wanted to discuss solutions to school shootings, but when I offered a solution he began shouting,” Massie said. “When he asked for data, I gave him data, but then he just shouted more. Bring facts. There’s never been a school shooting in the hundreds of schools that allow staff to carry.”
Bowman, meanwhile, said, “Republicans won’t do SH*T when it comes to gun violence, but try to tell me to calm down. NO. We can’t calm down. People are dying everyday while we wait.”
Massie has previously introduced legislation, the “Safe Students Act," that would repeal the Federal Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990.
“Gun-free zones are ineffective and make our schools less safe. Since 1950, 98 percent of mass public shootings have occurred in places where citizens are banned from having guns,” Rep. Massie said. “Banks, churches, sports stadiums, and many of my colleagues in Congress are protected with firearms. Yet children inside the classroom are too frequently left vulnerable.”
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