Since the Orlando terror attack, many media outlets have rushed to blame a lack of gun laws for the tragedy. And the calls for increased gun regulation have amplified…
Independent Journal Review chose to get the perspective of someone who had also experienced an American tragedy firsthand.
We talked to Kris Paronto, an ex-Army Ranger, who survived the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya.
The Hollywood film “13 Hours: Secret Soldiers of Benghazi” is based off his and his teammates’ harrowing experiences on the ground.
Paronto didn’t mince words about Orlando or those who rush to blame guns for what is being called the worst mass shooting on American soil ever.
Paronto said:
“It has nothing to do with the weapons that were used. It has to do with the ideology involved with the attacker. Whether he got trained in the states or got his ideology online, the weapons system makes no difference at all.
If I would have been in the nightclub with a M4 or M16 I would have shot the guy before he killed 49 people. The media is trying to demonize the weapon in the name of gun control.
Look, a weapon system is a tool like a hammer. It’s like anything else. In the wrong hands it can be used to hurt people and in the right hands — it’s a hammer.
In every one of these countries where they are terrorists, they have guns. I’ve been to these areas and seen what the jihadis are capable of. And they may be armed with an AK-47, but it’s their belief system and ideology that kills people. The AK-47 doesn’t fire itself.”
Paronto continued:
“Mateen went after a group that he knew was going to be an easy target. I don’t get why liberals keep spinning this into a gun control issue. Maybe it’s because the president can’t say it.
This is terrorists killing innocent people. He would have got that gun in any way. I’ve been around it in Benghazi and elsewhere. I’ve killed terrorists.
It’s always the ideology that drives them to squeeze the trigger or strap a bomb to their chest.
So we need to wake up and figure this out. Or they will be more attacks and we will have more tragedies like Orlando.
We need to have armed security in these places. I’ll stand at a door with a gun. I did it for ten years. It may make people uncomfortable in the club. But guess what, you’re going to go home alive.”