On a day where President Donald Trump addressed the National Rifle Association’s convention in Texas, a letter from a suburban teenager brought Senator Dick Durbin to a local high school.
The letter from Oak Lawn Community High School student Adem Osmani invited Durbin to his school, and the senator accepted as 100 people showed up to hear a discussion about how to curb gun violence in schools.
The invitation, which Durbin says is one of many that he’s gotten since the Parkland High School shooting, shows him that students like Adem are striving to make their voices heard.
“I think young people who share my feelings on gun safety can be more powerful than any National Rifle Association,” Durbin said.
Meanwhile, the president addressed gun owners at the NRA Convention, and he mentioned Chicago as a reason why stricter gun laws aren’t necessarily the answer. “We all know what’s going on in Chicago,” he said. “Chicago has the toughest gun laws in our country.”
The president also lobbied for arming teachers, saying that his administration “strongly believes” in allowing highly trained teachers to carry concealed weapons.
Senator Durbin challenged the president, saying that he didn’t live up to his words after the Parkland shooting.
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“He challenged politicians all across the country and said ‘don’t be afraid of the NRA.’ What he’s said since then hasn’t been encouraging at all,” he said.
