Shelby County Democrats Chair Gabby Salinas and Luke Cymbal with the Shelby County Young Republicans joined KWAM on Wednesday to debate what changes they feel are necessary to address gun violence.
Their discussion was sparked by the senseless murder of three children and three adults at a Nashville Christian school Monday.
Cymbal began by stating that simply banning firearms will not solve the problem because he believes guns alone are not to blame.“It (guns) will not hurt any of us because it is an inanimate object that does not kill,” he said on Wake Up Memphis. “It is the person behind the gun who kills. What we need to do is address the mental health problems in this country that are getting worse and worse.”
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Salinas responded by calling Cymbal out for not being specific with addressing mental health solutions.
“We need all options on the table so that we can discuss this, debate them, and see what we’re willing to push forward to keep our people safe,” Salinas said. “To say mental health and not provide any solution, not expand Medicaid, not have red flag laws is empty words and a slap in the face to the victims.”Cymbal fired back.
“I believe there’s blood on the hands of some of these far-left activist groups who are calling for violence and saying that to disagree with trans ideology is literal physical violence against those individuals,” he said. “That is wrong and we need to call it out.”
Radical leftist groups in Tennessee have claimed that the Tennessee legislature is committing “genocide” against the trans community for its legislation protecting minors from life-altering genital mutilation. This violent rhetoric is wrong and should be denounced. pic.twitter.com/b1XbtucdQT
— Luke Cymbal (@LukeCymbal) March 29, 2023
LISTEN TO THE FULL DEBATE BELOW:
