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Shaq Calls For More Guns In School, No Weapons Ban

(Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for American Express)

Jena Greene Reporter
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Shaquille O’Neal might have the most unpopular opinion in Los Angeles right now, but that doesn’t mean he’s wrong.

Shaq joined New York’s WABC radio on Wednesday for a chat with the “Curtis and Cosby” show. He discussed a variety of subjects, but it’s his stance on gun control that’s getting the most attention.

Shaq says the short term fix for preventing future school shootings is more guns in more schools.

He called the Parkland, FL shooting “close to my heart” since he has a home in Fort Lauderdale.

He continued:

It’s 2018 and something needs to happen. You know you hear a lot of people talk about getting these guns off the streets. Only problem with that is there’s 15 million already on the streets. And the other problem is that if you ban them, you’re going to create an underground market, and the gun collectors – you know it’s going to become more valuable. I just think – I think the quick fix now – is that the government should give law enforcement more money. And you recruit more people. And the guys that are not ready to go on the streets, you put them in the schools. You put ’em in front of the schools, you put ’em behind the schools, you put them inside the schools. I grew up on a military base, and there was always military police in front of the school… and we didn’t have a lot of 3 PM fights.

Shaq will almost certainly face backlash for these comments but this is probably the most sensible take from a celebrity I’ve heard in quite a while. Whether or not his theory is sound or viable remains to be seen. But it’s a solid start.

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