Telemundo Exclusive: No Military-Type Weapon Should Be In Civilian Hands

Author

Camilo Pino - Telemundo Network

Release Date

Tuesday, February 27, 2018

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MIAMI –February 26, 2018- Representative Carlos Curbelo (R-FL, District 26) expressed his opposition to allowing civilians access to military-style firearms on “Nunca Más” (Never More), a Noticias Telemundo and Enfoque special about gun control, moderated by José Díaz-Balart on Sunday, February 25 at 5 p.m./4 C.  “Nunca Más” brought together students and professors who survived the Parkland massacre with activists, gun dealers, politicians and law enforcement officials for a debate about access to firearms in the United States and how to prevent tragedies such as the mass shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

“No military-type weapon should be in civilian hands,” said Representative Curbelo. “These weapons are for the army, for the police, when necessary, but I do not support selling these arms. We have to work to make this a reality.”

The Congressman also cited a series of measures to avoid future tragedies: “Number one, we have to put restrictions on weapons. For example, we have to limit magazines, the amount of bullets a gun can fire…And for all firearms, the minimum age should be 21.” 

Alicia Blonde, a teacher at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, spoke against arming teachers: “Giving teachers weapons is the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard… Let’s suppose - just for argument’s sake, because to me it doesn’t make any sense - that you arm 10 or 12 teachers at a school.  Who will those teachers be?  Where will they be?  No one knows how they would act in a given situation.”

Carlos Ruiz, owner of a gun store in Florida, identified what he sees as problems with the current system for selling arms: “The things they ask about in the background check, many of them aren’t verified. The police can’t verify them because of privacy laws or confidentiality.”

One of the surviving Parkland students, Alfonso Calderón, spokeabout his feelings on returning to school:  “It’s going to be difficult.  It isn’t something I expect to be easy.  It’s going to be really hard to go back...We’re going to try, but what comes first is our cause, changing the laws of this country to make them more rational… It’s going to be strange to go to school and see guards armed with semi-automatic weapons and rifles in a section of the school where I used to have classes, and it’s going to be hard to have everyone staring at me.”

“I think that Congress and our legislators talk a lot, but everything they say in public has a double meaning,” said Carlos Rodríguez, another student who survived the school massacre.  “I wonder if they are ever going to take steps to protect us at school, at the mall, at the movies – everywhere.”

“Noticias Telemundo” is a leading provider of national news for the U.S. Hispanic market.  Its award-winning news properties include the daily “Noticias Telemundo” newscast with José Díaz Balart, “Noticias Telemundo Fin de Semana” with Julio Vaqueiro, “Noticias Telemundo Mediodía” with Felicidad Aveleyra, the news segment included in “Un Nuevo Día,” with Paulina Sodi and the Sunday current events program “Enfoque con José Díaz-Balart.”  In addition, the Noticias Telemundo” digital news team offers U.S. Hispanics uninterrupted content on its growing mobile and online platforms.  “Noticias Telemundo” produces award-winning news specials, documentaries and news events, such as political debates, forums and town halls. 

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