As has been documented over the years by MRC Latino, Spanish-language television in the U.S. has long been plagued by an overwhelming amount of messaging in favor of all kinds of gun control measures. Veteran Univision anchor Jorge Ramos, in fact, is well known for leading that charge.
So when the weekly show Política Ya, carried by Univision affiliates throughout the country, invited Colorado-based Guns for Everyone founder and instructor Edgar Antillón to tell the other side of the story and advocate for training and arming school personnel, it was worth sitting up and taking notice.
The double surprise was that not only did Antillón have ample opportunity to make his case for this school security proposal, but the audience poll done by Política Ya also demonstrated 40% support for the measure.
EDGAR ANTILLON, FOUNDER AND INSTRUCTOR, GUNS FOR EVERYONE: For us it is important to give that security to students. Give the opportunity to the teachers and to whoever works in the school sector to have the ability to defend themselves and the students. Also it is important that what we want to give is simply the option to carry a firearm.
TSI-TSI-KI FELIX, ANCHOR, POLITICA YA: Well, precisely about that topic on our Facebook page we ask the question: Are you in favor of school employees carrying firearms and being trained to shoot in case of an emergency? These are the results: 40 percent said yes, 60 percent said no.
Due to the history of strict gun control laws throughout Latin America, recent immigrants from the region need to hear more voices like that of Antillón, who stands up for the USA’s Second Amendment tradition and values.
More information about Antillón’s work, including his organization’s free conceal and carry classes, can be seen on the Guns for Everyone website. Click on “Expand” to view the complete transcript of the above referenced report as aired on the June 2, 2019 edition of Política Ya.
Política Ya
June 2, 2019TSI-TSI-KI FELIX, ANCHOR, POLITICA YA: In Colorado where the last deadly shooting in a school campus took place we find Edgar Antillón, founder of Guns for Everyone. Why are you in favor of this initiative in Florida to train, to arm teachers and school employees?
EDGAR ANTILLON, FOUNDER AND INSTRUCTOR, GUNS FOR EVERYONE: Thank you Tsi-Tsi-Ki. Well, for us it is important to give that security to students. Give the opportunity to the teachers and to whoever works in the school sector to have the ability to defend themselves and the students. Also it is important that what we want to give is simply the option to carry a firearm.
FELIX: The fact that you live in Colorado and obviously what happened there, has it had an impact on what you have learned. Tell us.
ANTILLON: Well, that this topic is very political and it should not be so political. We are not working together to resolve this problem. Simply what we see is that when these things happen is politics, politics is always brought up. That we need more laws, that we need less laws, but we never solve the problem.
FELIX: The police assure that the training teachers for a couple days does not compare to the training that they have had, and that it is different. What do you think of that? What would you tell them?
ANTILLON: Well, I find it curious that almost all police academies last six months and what they are basically doing is taking a person who does not know anything and in six months they are trained and put on the streets. I think that we can do the same with teachers, we can do the same for any person who works with the county schools, with the school districts. It's really simple. I feel like what they fear is the same thing that is happening in Colorado. What happened in Highland Ranch. There's a fight, there's a battle between two people and it is the Sheriff's job to solve the problem. The police do not need to fear whether they will have a job or not. What we need to see is the security for the students.
FELIX:Thank you Edgar Antillón, founder of the organization Guns for Everyone for being here with Politica Ya.
ANTILLON:Thank you Tsi-Tsi-ki.
FELIX: Well, precisely about that topic on our Facebook page we ask the question: Are you in favor of school employees carrying firearms and being trained to shoot in case of an emergency? These are the results: 40 percent said yes, 60 percent said no.
