0:00:07 > 0:00:10Hello, I'm Ros Atkins, this is Outside Source.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13Hundreds of high school students have marched in the state capital
0:00:13 > 0:00:19to demand stricter gun controls.
0:00:19 > 0:00:23That is in Florida. We are advocating for a change
0:00:23 > 0:00:28because of this capital's failure to do a primary job by keeping us safe.
0:00:28 > 0:00:33Some of these theatres too soon to talk about gun control. No, it is
0:00:33 > 0:00:36not too soon. There is no better time than now to talk about gun
0:00:36 > 0:00:37control.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40The death toll in Eastern Ghouta in Syria is since is now
0:00:40 > 0:00:41over 300 since Sunday.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44The UN is calling it hell on earth.
0:00:44 > 0:00:52We will talk to the BBC's Jeremy Bowen Atlanta.There are problems
0:00:52 > 0:00:58that face us tonight that will never be sold. -- solved.
0:00:58 > 0:00:59Billy Graham, the most influential preacher
0:00:59 > 0:01:03of the 20th century, has died.
0:01:03 > 0:01:08Martin this year will look at his legacy.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10We'll be taking a trip down the River Nile in 360 degrees.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13It's a first for the BBC News - a virtual reality documentary.
0:01:13 > 0:01:21We will hear from the correspondent on this, Allister Whitehead. --
0:01:21 > 0:01:22Alastair Leithead.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35We will begin in Florida looking at the issue of gun control.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37Let's start with these pictures of survivors of last week's school
0:01:37 > 0:01:40shooting in Florida marching on the state capital, Tallahassee.
0:01:40 > 0:01:45They want action.
0:01:45 > 0:01:50If we had stricter gun control is we would not have lost 17 lives of our
0:01:50 > 0:01:53classmates, teachers and staff members. We would not have destroyed
0:01:53 > 0:01:58the innocence of 3000 high school students and damaged a whole
0:01:58 > 0:02:03community. If we had stricter gun-control measures in Florida, 17
0:02:03 > 0:02:06families would be having dinner tonight together instead of mourning
0:02:06 > 0:02:10the loss of their loved ones. CHEERING
0:02:10 > 0:02:12On the podium was the sign "Never Again".
0:02:12 > 0:02:14That's the name this movement has taken on.
0:02:14 > 0:02:15It's being driven by students.
0:02:15 > 0:02:20And it's going well beyond Florida.
0:02:20 > 0:02:28Some of them are using the hashtag never again, others a hashtag me
0:02:28 > 0:02:28next.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31These are some of the key picture that tell the story.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33Students are walking out of classrooms across Florida.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36They're trying to pressure lawmakers to act.
0:02:36 > 0:02:41There is not too much evidence the pressure is telling at the moment.
0:02:41 > 0:02:42This is Washington, DC.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44Hundreds of students from the District of Columbia,
0:02:44 > 0:02:46Maryland and Virginia staged walk-outs, gathering in Washington.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49These are students in a Kentucky high school walking out to show
0:02:49 > 0:02:57support for families and victims.
0:02:57 > 0:03:02A little bit earlier I spoke to Barbara Plett Usher of the BBC. She
0:03:02 > 0:03:06is in Tallahassee and was joined by some students.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10You saw that rally outside the Capitol building, lots of speeches
0:03:10 > 0:03:14and noise outside but lots of work being done inside the buildings,
0:03:14 > 0:03:19where the students were meeting legislators. I have two with me,
0:03:19 > 0:03:22Dmitri and Isabel. They have been speaking to democratic and
0:03:22 > 0:03:27Republican legislators about what they want. Dmitri, what did you
0:03:27 > 0:03:31achieve?As you said we spoke to democratic and Republican
0:03:31 > 0:03:35legislators, I think we were really able to show them what we went to an
0:03:35 > 0:03:47side of the school when the events
0:03:48 > 0:03:51transpired, we were able to tell them the kind of things we wanted to
0:03:51 > 0:03:53see in terms of gun reform and mental care reform.Isabel, did you
0:03:53 > 0:03:56have anything you could work with? Before you came the lawmakers voted
0:03:56 > 0:03:58against a ban on assault weapons, can it still be achieved?I think
0:03:58 > 0:04:01our talks went very well. I think we came to a lot of common-sense gun
0:04:01 > 0:04:05reform together and I have hope for the future.What sort of steps do
0:04:05 > 0:04:10you think will happen next?I definitely think there will be other
0:04:10 > 0:04:14groups of kids from our school and others coming to Tallahassee and
0:04:14 > 0:04:18using their voices to make sure imminent change happens, to make
0:04:18 > 0:04:31sure this type of tragedy does not happen again in a Florida school.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34Then we have a march that of the March 24, the March for our lives in
0:04:34 > 0:04:37Washington, DC, taking us on a national platform to make sure the
0:04:37 > 0:04:39voices of students across the country are heard and that this sort
0:04:39 > 0:04:41of event does not happen anywhere else in the country.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43Isabel, you were speaking about tactical steps, what you think those
0:04:43 > 0:04:47would be?We have been talking about increasing the waiting period
0:04:47 > 0:04:51between buying a gun at receiving it, increasing the age to get a gun.
0:04:51 > 0:04:56Right now it is 21 for a hand that only 18 for a long gun, we want to
0:04:56 > 0:05:08increase them both to 21. We talked about the waiting period, it is only
0:05:08 > 0:05:11three handgun and on the day for a longer, we were talking about also
0:05:11 > 0:05:13increasing web to three days and hopefully longer, eventually.This
0:05:13 > 0:05:16is a lot of work, do you have staying power to keep up the issue?
0:05:16 > 0:05:21What a lot of people have come to realise is that we are passionate
0:05:21 > 0:05:26about this type of change and we are serious. Even if the media goes away
0:05:26 > 0:05:30we will still be here, persevering to make sure change happens. This is
0:05:30 > 0:05:35not about the media coverage, this is about the lives lost, feeling
0:05:35 > 0:05:39safe in schools, security, our lives. It is life and death.How do
0:05:39 > 0:05:44you feel about going back to school on Tuesday?Excited and happy to see
0:05:44 > 0:05:50my friends and be back together in one place. Anxious for everyone
0:05:50 > 0:05:54because I'd want anyone to feel uncomfortable or unsafe, but I think
0:05:54 > 0:05:58they will get through it together as a community and all of our teachers
0:05:58 > 0:06:07have been supportive.How about you, anxious and nervous, I had a class
0:06:07 > 0:06:12with one of the victims and it will be hard to have an empty desk. But
0:06:12 > 0:06:15until we rebuild our own memories and happy experiences at that
0:06:15 > 0:06:20school, that is when the real healing will begin with all of our
0:06:20 > 0:06:23friends, teachers, administrators and everyone who went through that
0:06:23 > 0:06:27experience, we will bond as a family get through this together.Thank
0:06:27 > 0:06:33you, and Isabel. They have been speaking about their experience and
0:06:33 > 0:06:37save that has given them some impact at the Capitol. We will be watching
0:06:37 > 0:06:42them under the students in the next month to see whether this movement
0:06:42 > 0:06:51is real change in the -- we will be watching them and other students.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54Now, there's nothing news in calls for more gun control -
0:06:54 > 0:06:56it happens after every mass shooting in the US.
0:06:56 > 0:06:57And they happen very frequently.
0:06:57 > 0:06:58But these students have been particularly effective
0:06:59 > 0:07:00at getting their message out.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02And they're putting a lot of pressure on the President.
0:07:02 > 0:07:03He's been tweeting.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06"Whether we are Republican or Democrat, we must now focus
0:07:06 > 0:07:07on strengthening background checks!"
0:07:07 > 0:07:13That comes on the back of this announcement.
0:07:13 > 0:07:18I signed a memorandum directing the Attorney General to propose
0:07:18 > 0:07:24regulations to ban all devices that turn legal weapons into machine
0:07:24 > 0:07:29guns. I expect that these critical regulations will be finalised very
0:07:29 > 0:07:31soon.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34These are the types of devices he is referring to - bump stocks.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36They make ordinary weapons fire as if they were machine guns.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39One was used in the Las Vegas attack last year.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42Then, as in Florida last week this weapon was used - an AR-15.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45It's a semi-automatic gun - and you can buy one
0:07:45 > 0:07:53in the US once you're 18.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55So long as you pass certain checks.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57That's what the alleged shooter last week did.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59Now that age limited is also being looked at.
0:07:59 > 0:08:05Here's the White House press spokesperson.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09REPORTER: The president believed there should be an age limit for the
0:08:09 > 0:08:16people who buy and AR-15.I know there are currently laws in place in
0:08:16 > 0:08:20certain states that restrict that in terms of whether or not we make that
0:08:20 > 0:08:26federal policy, it has not yet been determined, but that is... I think
0:08:26 > 0:08:29it is on the table for us to discuss.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32President Trump is due to host a "listening session" with high
0:08:32 > 0:08:36school students and teachers at the White House in the next hour.
0:08:36 > 0:08:41And also holding an event with gun-control campaigners, including
0:08:41 > 0:08:43Vice President Mike Pence and Betsy divorced from the education
0:08:43 > 0:08:47Department.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50We will show you pictures of that when it comes on.
0:08:50 > 0:08:51Billy Graham has died.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53He was one of the big figures of twentieth century Christianity.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56He began preaching in a tent in California but soon
0:08:56 > 0:08:58took his mission overseas - often in huge arenas such
0:08:58 > 0:09:03as this one in London.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06These sermons in the 1950s drew tens of thousands of people.
0:09:06 > 0:09:12He was the first preacher to maximise the power of television
0:09:12 > 0:09:14and became a confidant to a number of Presidents - Kennedy,
0:09:14 > 0:09:21George Bush, Bill Clinton.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23And President Obama and Nixon.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27Here he is in full flow.
0:09:27 > 0:09:32We are a decent people, we are good people. The Bible says that the
0:09:32 > 0:09:40whole human race is simple. The Bible says that all of us have
0:09:40 > 0:09:44sinned. I have broken the commandments of God. So have you,
0:09:44 > 0:09:50and the Bible says the wages of sin is death. The Bible says the soul of
0:09:50 > 0:09:53the spiritual die. And the Bible says we are all guilty.
0:10:10 > 0:10:15That was said by the Reverend Jesse Jackson.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19I have spoken to our religious affairs editor Martin Bush era about
0:10:19 > 0:10:25him.I did think there will ever be a preacher with that kind of reach
0:10:25 > 0:10:30ever again.He evidently created a new form of Christianity which has
0:10:30 > 0:10:36found deep roots in many parts of the world?I don't think so. This
0:10:36 > 0:10:42message was very simple, based on the new Testament. When he's
0:10:42 > 0:10:48preached, it did not matter if he was preaching in Zimbabwe, Nigeria,
0:10:48 > 0:10:52London, Northern Ireland, his message was that God created us, we
0:10:52 > 0:10:56have fallen away from our Creator and in order to get back to him we
0:10:56 > 0:11:00need a relationship with him that is only possible through the death of
0:11:00 > 0:11:04Christ on the cross. He preached that message simply wherever he
0:11:04 > 0:11:08went. It was much is the simplicity of the message, it was the sincerity
0:11:08 > 0:11:14of his life. Many US breaches of high status with big crowds,
0:11:14 > 0:11:18television networks, have had terrible faults from grace. Billy
0:11:18 > 0:11:24Graham was not involved in a single financial or sexual scandal. I think
0:11:24 > 0:11:29that is why the outpouring of grief today has been so widespread and
0:11:29 > 0:11:33international, people feel he was not a hypocrite and his message was
0:11:33 > 0:11:37consistent, his life was also consistent.
0:11:37 > 0:11:42That's interesting, the strength of his personality and style gave birth
0:11:42 > 0:11:45to a type of evangelical Christianity that some people have
0:11:45 > 0:11:50said is too rooted in money, personality and has little to do
0:11:50 > 0:11:55with the core message of Christianity.It is interesting you
0:11:55 > 0:12:00talk about money. Billy Graham's accounts were both transparent and
0:12:00 > 0:12:04always audited externally every year, intentionally, because he was
0:12:04 > 0:12:07aware of the possibility. In the 1980s two of the biggest newspapers
0:12:07 > 0:12:13in America dug into his finances to see if there was any impropriety.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17They could not find any. They made it public, they said we have
0:12:17 > 0:12:21searched through his bins, there was nothing to find. Multiple
0:12:21 > 0:12:26individuals have followed him who have not been as honest and had his
0:12:26 > 0:12:32level of integrity and have gone on to exploit people financially. You
0:12:32 > 0:12:34will see things on American television where someone says
0:12:34 > 0:12:38tenders $10 and we will send you a prior cloth. Billy Graham never did
0:12:38 > 0:12:43that. They say give to us and God will bless you, he never said that.
0:12:43 > 0:12:49The only message he preached was about you finding salvation in
0:12:49 > 0:12:53relation to God. It was never about any material benefit that him or his
0:12:53 > 0:12:59organisation could gain.Martin Bashir talking about Billy Graham.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03As we have dinner every day this week, we must turn to the horror is
0:13:03 > 0:13:08playing out in Eastern Ghouta in Syria. -- as we have done every day
0:13:08 > 0:13:09this week.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11It's a rebel enclave close to Damascus -
0:13:11 > 0:13:13and since Sunday 300 people have died.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15Around 400,000 live in Eastern Ghouta.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17They are trapped there is this plays out.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19The UN Secretary General has described the situation
0:13:19 > 0:13:20as hell on earth.
0:13:20 > 0:13:29Here's one doctor there.
0:13:29 > 0:13:35You cannot imagine the situation in Eastern Ghouta now. Many injured
0:13:35 > 0:13:43people, civilian people. We can't treat all of them. Maybe you can
0:13:43 > 0:13:50hear the voice of the air strike now. In every minute we have more
0:13:50 > 0:14:01than three or four air strikes, cluster bombs, artillery. It is a
0:14:01 > 0:14:05situation, it is like a catastrophe in Eastern Ghouta. You can't imagine
0:14:05 > 0:14:07that.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10You could hear bombing in the background on that clip.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13This is footage of the bombardment.
0:14:13 > 0:14:14This is a brutal onslaught.
0:14:14 > 0:14:15A massacre.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17Civilians can't get out.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19Nor can they get supplies.
0:14:19 > 0:14:25Medical facilities have also been destroyed in recent days,
0:14:25 > 0:14:30so the injured have no guarantee of being treated.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32Some say these medical facilities have been targeted.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35These siege tactics are nothing new - the Syrian government
0:14:35 > 0:14:41and their allies did just the same in Aleppo.
0:14:41 > 0:14:48There, in the end, humanitarian corridors were created.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51We wait to see if that will happen in Eastern Ghouta.
0:14:51 > 0:14:56Lina Sinjab has more from Beirut.
0:14:56 > 0:15:0013 medical facilities have been targeted. Schools, bakeries, food
0:15:00 > 0:15:04tricks, main roads and even ambulances. Rescue workers are not
0:15:04 > 0:15:08able to help, they are running out of medical equipment and themselves
0:15:08 > 0:15:12being targeted. People inside Eastern Ghouta described the
0:15:12 > 0:15:17situation as hell. There were mortars falling into Damascus. The
0:15:17 > 0:15:21Government and Russia are determined to clear the area from what they
0:15:21 > 0:15:25describe as terrorists, but Eastern Ghouta has been besieged for five
0:15:25 > 0:15:28years and completely sealed off for 50 days. Unicef has issued a
0:15:28 > 0:15:31statement saying they are running out of words to describe the
0:15:31 > 0:15:37situation, and the UN special envoy said to might be seeing another
0:15:37 > 0:15:41Aleppo scenario. Aleppo was also bombed out and seized until the
0:15:41 > 0:15:44moment where both rebels and civilians gave up and were bussed
0:15:44 > 0:15:50out of their own hometown towards Idlib in the North, where it is also
0:15:50 > 0:15:54being bombarded. For the people in Eastern Ghouta, they have been
0:15:54 > 0:15:57living the walk the seven years, they are tired of the bombing, the
0:15:57 > 0:16:03procedure meant, they want safety and beginning to end. -- they have
0:16:03 > 0:16:08been living the wall for seven years. They might not want to head
0:16:08 > 0:16:13from their home town to another dangerous area.
0:16:13 > 0:16:18In around 15 minutes we will hear from Jeremy Bowen, talking about the
0:16:18 > 0:16:23situation in Eastern Ghouta. And we are waiting on Donald Trump who is
0:16:23 > 0:16:27expected to make an appearance soon. He has been listening to teachers
0:16:27 > 0:16:31and campaigners who want to talk to him about gun control. And in a few
0:16:31 > 0:16:34minutes we will hear about the possible dangers that come with
0:16:34 > 0:16:37artificial intelligence. We are told some could manifest themselves
0:16:37 > 0:16:48within five years.
0:16:48 > 0:16:53Two victims of the six attacker John Warboys, known as the black cab
0:16:53 > 0:16:55rapist, have won a landmark legal case against the Metropolitan
0:16:55 > 0:17:00Police. They say their treatment by police breached their rights and
0:17:00 > 0:17:04cause them harm. Clive Coleman explains the importance of the
0:17:04 > 0:17:08decision.The really significant aspect of the ruling is that this is
0:17:08 > 0:17:13a novel route, using the Human Rights Act, whereby victims of
0:17:13 > 0:17:19serious violent crime can help the police to account, they can take
0:17:19 > 0:17:26them to court and win compensation. This is one big legal battle by John
0:17:26 > 0:17:32Warboys' victims which is over successfully. They face another
0:17:32 > 0:17:36significant battle because the two women at the centre of this case are
0:17:36 > 0:17:46also the women who are questioning the decision of the parole board to
0:17:46 > 0:17:48release John Warboys.
0:17:48 > 0:17:57Stay with us on Outside Source.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00Our lead story is hundreds of high school students have marched
0:18:00 > 0:18:02in Florida to demand stricter gun controls, saying the rights
0:18:02 > 0:18:05of children must come before the right to a gun.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09We can turn to some of the main stories from BBC World Service, this
0:18:09 > 0:18:10from BBC Urdu.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12Pakistan's Supreme Court has ruled that former
0:18:12 > 0:18:14Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif can no longer lead the political
0:18:14 > 0:18:15party he founded.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17Mr Sharif is accused of corruption.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19He says he's the victim of a political conspiracy.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22The first missing French soldier from the First World War to have
0:18:22 > 0:18:24been identified using his DNA has been buried with full
0:18:24 > 0:18:26military honours.
0:18:26 > 0:18:36Claude Fournier was laid to rest alongside two comrades.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40Still no sign of Donald Trump coming out, still in the meantime will turn
0:18:40 > 0:18:49to take Dummett a story he will pay close attention to. -- we will turn
0:18:49 > 0:18:51to a story he will pay close attention to.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53Details of the Trans-Pacific trade deal - or TPP -
0:18:53 > 0:18:54were released on Wednesday.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57And it looks like the landmark deal is a step closer
0:18:57 > 0:18:59to becoming a reality - despite the fact that the US
0:19:00 > 0:19:01is no longer involved.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03The 11 remaining countries - led by Japan - unveiled
0:19:03 > 0:19:06details of the pact, which no longer includes rules that
0:19:06 > 0:19:06Washington was pushing for.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08Yogita Limaye is in New York.
0:19:08 > 0:19:15In the simplest possible terms, what to these 11 countries want to do?
0:19:15 > 0:19:19Essentially to create a huge trading block, and together they would
0:19:19 > 0:19:24account for 13% of global GDP. They were hoping the US would have been
0:19:24 > 0:19:29part of it because with the US that sort of combined effect would have
0:19:29 > 0:19:36been as much as 40% of global GDP. Currently if you take the 11
0:19:36 > 0:19:39countries it reaches around 500 million people, with the US it would
0:19:39 > 0:19:44have been around 800 million. Having said that, one of the first
0:19:44 > 0:19:48things President Trump did when he came into office was to back out of
0:19:48 > 0:19:52the deal, these 11 countries think they still want to go ahead, they
0:19:52 > 0:19:56want to create a huge trading block and reduce trade barriers between
0:19:56 > 0:20:02them. Some of the country such as Canada, Mexico, Australia, New
0:20:02 > 0:20:06Zealand, Japan especially taking quite a lead role.How much are they
0:20:06 > 0:20:10had to go back to the drawing board after America pulled out and how
0:20:10 > 0:20:15much is this a continuation of the original plan?The new draft
0:20:15 > 0:20:23released has some changes, about 22. I'm sorry, I have asked you a
0:20:23 > 0:20:26question but I will interrupt you because Donald Trump has just
0:20:26 > 0:20:31appeared. We will immediately look at this live feed and we will listen
0:20:31 > 0:20:35to what we can hear the president say.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52We understand he will miss campaigners connected to the Sandy
0:20:52 > 0:20:55Hook tragedy of several years ago, when a number of children were shot
0:20:55 > 0:21:01dead in one school. We do not know what the president will say with
0:21:01 > 0:21:06regards to the issues the campaigners want to talk about, we
0:21:06 > 0:21:09know that Vice President Mike Pence will be in attendance. I wonder if
0:21:09 > 0:21:14we can see him back? And we also know that one of the most senior
0:21:14 > 0:21:22figures in education in the US, Betsy DeVoss, is there.Thank you
0:21:22 > 0:21:26viewer suggestions, I have heard some of them. We need to do
0:21:26 > 0:21:33something about this horrible situation going on. I want to
0:21:33 > 0:21:39listen, and then after Ellis and I will get things done. I thought that
0:21:39 > 0:21:47if the pasta could possibly say the prayer, it would be appreciated. --
0:21:47 > 0:21:59I thought if the pastor could.We thank you for the date you have
0:21:59 > 0:22:04given us. We will get America by contract there needs to be with our
0:22:04 > 0:22:08children, our adults, everybody involved. Father, I ask you to
0:22:08 > 0:22:12extend the holy spirit to computers to this time. You said you would
0:22:12 > 0:22:17send it, right now we embrace it. He says where two or three are gathered
0:22:17 > 0:22:23in my name you are here. We ask you to comfort the families, every one
0:22:23 > 0:22:29of them. Even the families that did not lose a loved one but know they
0:22:29 > 0:22:35were there at that time, comfort them. Fathers, I ask in the name of
0:22:35 > 0:22:43Jesus Christ, we welcome you here in this room. Amen.
0:22:43 > 0:22:48I appreciate that. Thank you. Vice President, you wanted to say, and I
0:22:48 > 0:22:57would like you to say a few words. And then I would like to recognise
0:22:57 > 0:23:00you to Betsy DeVos, who some of you know. -- then I would like to
0:23:00 > 0:23:11introduce you to. (INAUDIBLE)
0:23:11 > 0:23:17Our deepest condolences and sympathy is from the first family and our
0:23:17 > 0:23:26family and of the American people. As the president said last week, the
0:23:26 > 0:23:33American people are united in one heart, a broken heart, for what took
0:23:33 > 0:23:37place. The president called this meeting for us as much to talk about
0:23:37 > 0:23:42what's happened in our country over the last 20 years and to find out
0:23:42 > 0:23:50from all of you gathered here, by listening, by learning, how we might
0:23:50 > 0:24:00ensure that this is the last time this ever happens. I, along with the
0:24:00 > 0:24:03president, and deeply moved by the stories of heroism and courage and
0:24:03 > 0:24:11candidly moved by the courage that it takes for many of you to be here
0:24:11 > 0:24:17today. What I just want to encourage you to do is tell us your stories.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21America is looking on. Your president, our entire
0:24:21 > 0:24:24administration, leaders around the country at every level are looking
0:24:24 > 0:24:31on. We want to hear your hearts together. I encourage you to be
0:24:31 > 0:24:35counted and vulnerable, share with us not only your personal experience
0:24:35 > 0:24:40but what it is you would have us to do. And just know that, as the
0:24:40 > 0:24:45president has already taken action, he will be meeting in this very room
0:24:45 > 0:24:50in the coming days with governors from all 50 states to make school
0:24:50 > 0:24:55safety the top priority of this administration across this country.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59The president and I wanted to hear from you all first, and so I want to
0:24:59 > 0:25:06say thank you for coming, thank you for the courage and being able to be
0:25:06 > 0:25:13here and share your hearts and from our families to yours, God bless and
0:25:13 > 0:25:20comfort you.Thank you, Mike, very much.Thank you, Mr President.
0:25:20 > 0:25:27Students, teachers, parents, thank you. Many of you have lived do
0:25:27 > 0:25:33something unthinkable. For many of you, it is raw and fresh. I admire
0:25:33 > 0:25:37your strength in coming to share your experience with the president,
0:25:37 > 0:25:41the vice president and the world. No student, parent or teacher should
0:25:41 > 0:25:48never have to ensure what you will have. My heart is broken. What
0:25:48 > 0:25:55happened last week shocked us, it angers us, it pains us. We are here
0:25:55 > 0:25:58to have an earnest conversation about why this tragedy and too many
0:25:58 > 0:26:05others before it happens, and how we can work to find solutions. We are
0:26:05 > 0:26:08here to listen, to gain your important perspective on ways to
0:26:08 > 0:26:14reduce violence and protect students. Our hope is that by
0:26:14 > 0:26:22talking and listening we can make something that was unthinkably bad
0:26:22 > 0:26:27something good. And your loss and George trauma must never be in vain.
0:26:27 > 0:26:32-- your loss and your trauma. Thank you again for being here, let's get
0:26:32 > 0:26:39started.Thank you very much, Betsy. I just want to say before we begin
0:26:39 > 0:26:46that we will be very strong on background checks, very strong
0:26:46 > 0:26:52emphasis on the mental health of somebody. We will do plenty of other
0:26:52 > 0:26:56things. Again, next week the governors are coming in from most of
0:26:56 > 0:27:00the states and we will have a very serious talk about what is going on
0:27:00 > 0:27:08with school safety, very important. There are many ideas I have, many
0:27:08 > 0:27:13ideas others have, we will pick out the strongest and most important
0:27:13 > 0:27:17ideas, the ideas that will work, we will get them done. It will not be
0:27:17 > 0:27:24talk like in the past. It has been going on too long, too many
0:27:24 > 0:27:31instances. We will get it done. I want to thank you all from toe for
0:27:31 > 0:27:35being here. I would like to year your story, and if you have any
0:27:35 > 0:27:38suggestions in the future based on this horrible experience you have
0:27:38 > 0:27:46gone through, I would love to have those. How about you?
0:27:46 > 0:27:52Thank you, Mr President, for having me here. My name is Julie, I am from
0:27:52 > 0:27:56Stoneman Douglas high school, I was there chewing the shooting and I am
0:27:56 > 0:28:01a survivor. I want you guys all to emphasise the point that I survived.
0:28:01 > 0:28:06I was lucky enough to come home from school, unlike some of my other
0:28:06 > 0:28:13classmates and teachers. It is very scary. And knowing that a lot of
0:28:13 > 0:28:21people do not have this opportunity to be here still is mind blowing. I
0:28:21 > 0:28:26am just... I feel like there is a lot to do, and I really appreciate
0:28:26 > 0:28:30you hosting me and what you are saying, I am confident you will do
0:28:30 > 0:28:35the right thing and I appreciate you looking at the pump stocks
0:28:35 > 0:28:38yesterday. That means it is definitely a step in the right
0:28:38 > 0:28:47direction, I think we can agree on that. -- I appreciate you looking at
0:28:47 > 0:28:52the bump stocks. I am grateful to be here and we can work out something,
0:28:52 > 0:28:56maybe compromise on some solution so no person in this world will ever
0:28:56 > 0:29:00have to go through something so horrific and tragic. My thoughts and
0:29:00 > 0:29:06prayers are out to everyone, so thank you.My name is Jonathan, I go
0:29:06 > 0:29:09to Stoneman Douglas and I was actually in the second classroom
0:29:09 > 0:29:16that was shot at. In my mind, as a kid, nothing about horrible should
0:29:16 > 0:29:22ever have to happen to you. You can't even think about it. It
0:29:22 > 0:29:27doesn't even seem real still. Everything seems fake. I can't
0:29:27 > 0:29:32even... I don't even know what's going on, it is just crazy,
0:29:32 > 0:29:38everything happening. It is just so tragic. Thank you for everything.
0:29:38 > 0:29:44You have done a great job and I like the direction going in. Thank you.
0:29:44 > 0:29:55My name is Melissa, is my son.
0:29:56 > 0:30:00I could not get in touch with my son because I am a teacher at a middle
0:30:00 > 0:30:06school that was locked down. I could not find out if my son was alive or
0:30:06 > 0:30:10not. I feel for all of these families. My heart is just broken
0:30:10 > 0:30:22for my whole community. We are coming together. I feel for all the
0:30:22 > 0:30:26families who have lost, and I feel for the ones that are here, because
0:30:26 > 0:30:36we now have almost a guilt. Why not my child? Which I feel bad saying. I
0:30:36 > 0:30:41am happy that he is here with me but I feel so bad for all of you who
0:30:41 > 0:30:47have lost so many. And I am just begging for a change. We need a
0:30:47 > 0:30:54change.
0:31:00 > 0:31:03Do you mind? May I passed the microphone back to my daughter,
0:31:03 > 0:31:07because I think she has some nice solutions, if that's OK with you?
0:31:07 > 0:31:15Shore.My name is Carson, I am a junior, and I was at Marjorie
0:31:15 > 0:31:20Stoneman Douglas at the time of the shooting. I know there are a lot of
0:31:20 > 0:31:23different solutions we can go to to help eradicate this issue, but one
0:31:23 > 0:31:27that stuck out to me was about all the drills and protocols that my
0:31:27 > 0:31:32teachers had to go through. They knew what to do once the code red
0:31:32 > 0:31:36for an active shooter was announced, but through research I found that
0:31:36 > 0:31:44only 32 states require drills. But of those 32 states, more than half
0:31:44 > 0:31:47of the counties do not go through the drills because they want to
0:31:47 > 0:31:53spend their resources towards something else. And I know that a
0:31:53 > 0:31:56bill was also passed that declared that each school has to go through
0:31:56 > 0:32:02one drill each month, but I know that my school, we go through fire
0:32:02 > 0:32:06drills every month, and we have not had our lockdown drill yet this
0:32:06 > 0:32:13year. And I think a change that will increase all the trainings and
0:32:13 > 0:32:17protocols so if, God forbid, another shooting does happen, at least all
0:32:17 > 0:32:20the teachers will be prepared and can hopefully keep their students
0:32:20 > 0:32:29calm.Thank you very much.My name is Ariana climb, I just want to say
0:32:29 > 0:32:34thank you for leading this country, you are a great leader and I
0:32:34 > 0:32:38appreciate the direction the country is going in. I am a junior, I
0:32:38 > 0:32:43attended Stoneman Douglas. I just want to say that everybody right now
0:32:43 > 0:32:45is so stuck on what they believe that they are not even listening to
0:32:45 > 0:32:52what other people believe. We need to listen to the other points of
0:32:52 > 0:32:55views, we all need to realise that we all have different points of
0:32:55 > 0:33:00views, and that the solution is not going to be a singular thing. It
0:33:00 > 0:33:05will be multifaceted, and it will be created by a collection of different
0:33:05 > 0:33:10people working together, and we all have to realise that we all have our
0:33:10 > 0:33:13opinions, and together we will be able to work towards a solution.
0:33:13 > 0:33:20This is not just Parklands any more, this is America, every student in
0:33:20 > 0:33:24every city, it is not small, it is everything. I would just like to say
0:33:24 > 0:33:32thank you for having us.My name is Fred, I am Carson was Mike Baird, I
0:33:32 > 0:33:36will pass the microphone along to some of the other students. If we
0:33:36 > 0:33:40have a chance later on, I will speak or other parents can speak but I
0:33:40 > 0:33:46would like the students to get their chance.My name is Justin, and I was
0:33:46 > 0:33:51at the school at the time of the massacre. I am only 15 years old, I
0:33:51 > 0:33:57am a sophomore. 19 years ago the first school shooting at Columbine
0:33:57 > 0:34:05high school happened, and I was born into a world where I never got to
0:34:05 > 0:34:12experience safety and peace. There needs to be a significant change in
0:34:12 > 0:34:15this country, because this has two never happen again, and people
0:34:15 > 0:34:23should be able to feel that when they go to school, they can be safe.
0:34:23 > 0:34:31And because there needs to be a change. I'm sorry. People need to
0:34:31 > 0:34:34feel safe, and parents shouldn't have to go through the idea of
0:34:34 > 0:34:43losing their child, as I know from my dad. He was panicking, and he
0:34:43 > 0:34:48couldn't imagine it. So that shouldn't even be a possibility that
0:34:48 > 0:34:52should go through a parent's mind, and there needs to be some change.
0:34:52 > 0:35:01Thank you.I am just an's dad, and I will be brief. Justin was texting
0:35:01 > 0:35:06me, hiding in a closet, saying, if something happens, I love you, if
0:35:06 > 0:35:09something happens, I love you, and you can't imagine what that is like
0:35:09 > 0:35:14as a parent. And then his phone died and I didn't know what happen for
0:35:14 > 0:35:20another hour or so. 17 lives are gone. I was lucky enough to get my
0:35:20 > 0:35:28son home, but 17 families. It is not left and right, it is not political,
0:35:28 > 0:35:33it is a human issue. People are dying, and we have to stop this. If
0:35:33 > 0:35:36he is not old enough to buy a drink, to go and buy a beer, he should not
0:35:36 > 0:35:41be up to buy a gun at 18 years old. I mean, that is just common sense.
0:35:41 > 0:35:46We have to do common-sense, please, Mr Trump. These are things we have
0:35:46 > 0:35:51to do. In Israel, you have to be 27 years old to have a gun, you are
0:35:51 > 0:35:54only allowed one. They taxed the guns. You have to go through
0:35:54 > 0:36:00significant training. We have got to do something about this. We cannot
0:36:00 > 0:36:09have our children die. This is just heartbreaking. Please.My name is
0:36:09 > 0:36:13Shannon Morris, I am a local administrator for a school in DC,
0:36:13 > 0:36:21and overly want to continue the conversation for our students.I am
0:36:21 > 0:36:28also a local educator here in Washington, DC, so I will allow our
0:36:28 > 0:36:32students that are here to voice their opinions as well as give some
0:36:32 > 0:36:38of their ideas to do that at this time, and my condolences, and my
0:36:38 > 0:36:47heart truly goes out to not trust the families that have lost children
0:36:47 > 0:36:56in this horrific, horrific incident that has occurred, but also to our
0:36:56 > 0:37:00families here in the district of Colombia that experience gun
0:37:00 > 0:37:05violence outside of our schools, that directly impact our schools,
0:37:05 > 0:37:14because they are our students. Hello, I go to the friendship
0:37:14 > 0:37:20technology puppetry Academy in the heart of Southeast DC. My
0:37:20 > 0:37:24condolences to every family here that experienced the shooting, and
0:37:24 > 0:37:29all the students that experience that. I am here on behalf of my
0:37:29 > 0:37:35school and all of the friendship schools in DC to be able to prevent
0:37:35 > 0:37:39those kind of things happening in our school. In Southeast DC, we
0:37:39 > 0:37:45doing counter a lot of violence, and things, most of the time at night,
0:37:45 > 0:37:50but a lot of the times it is, like, in the daytime too. So, our schools,
0:37:50 > 0:38:00we do take preventative measures to stop that. We check bags at the door
0:38:00 > 0:38:04and everything, and at first we are, like, no, we don't want to do this,
0:38:04 > 0:38:09but then we realise it is for our safety. But we wanted to make sure
0:38:09 > 0:38:17that it continues and that nothing can ever slip up for these things to
0:38:17 > 0:38:25happen in school. Counselling for our students who are struggling with
0:38:25 > 0:38:31fear and bullying. Bullying triggers emotions that will make a student
0:38:31 > 0:38:35want to bring a weapon to school to protect themselves or to get revenge
0:38:35 > 0:38:41for a person who did something to them. So we just want to have a lot
0:38:41 > 0:38:46of preventative measures to be in the schools, and also outside of
0:38:46 > 0:38:51school, to make sure that nothing can happen to us while we are in
0:38:51 > 0:38:59school.Hello, Mr President, thank you for having us, I am Christine,
0:38:59 > 0:39:07the mayor of the city of Parkland. We have a great city. It has been
0:39:07 > 0:39:10one of the safest cities in America, and the fact that this happened in
0:39:10 > 0:39:15our city means that it can happen anywhere. We are blessed that we are
0:39:15 > 0:39:19a very close-knit, family oriented city, and our community is coming
0:39:19 > 0:39:24together. We lost 17 lives, but the ripple effects throughout the
0:39:24 > 0:39:29community are devastating. I have spent the last week going to
0:39:29 > 0:39:36funerals. Friends of mine have lost their children. We have two at some
0:39:36 > 0:39:40point caring off and be strong enough to come up with solutions,
0:39:40 > 0:39:48and I hope we will. And, if I might, I had two parents who lost children
0:39:48 > 0:39:51this past week text me some of their thoughts, if I might share them with
0:39:51 > 0:39:58you? Thank you. I spoke to Jennifer Antoni Montalto, they just buried
0:39:58 > 0:40:10their daughter Jeannie yesterday. -- Jennifer and Tony. Tony is a airline
0:40:10 > 0:40:13pilot, he supports the second Amendment but he says he does not
0:40:13 > 0:40:17believe there is a need for assault rifles. He also says the FBI, there
0:40:17 > 0:40:22were signs missed, and it reminded him of 9/11, so we have to make sure
0:40:22 > 0:40:26we work on making sure our protocols are in place so that people don't
0:40:26 > 0:40:32slip through the cracks, literally, in this case. We also talked about
0:40:32 > 0:40:36the red flag laws. I think there is a little progress being made now in
0:40:36 > 0:40:40Florida on the red flag laws, which is when somebody shows signs of
0:40:40 > 0:40:43hurting themselves or someone else, you can take their gun away from
0:40:43 > 0:40:52them. Fred Guttenberg, a service for his daughter, Jamie, was last week
0:40:52 > 0:40:58on Friday. He would like the administration to publicly
0:40:58 > 0:41:03acknowledge the role of guns. These two parents talked about guns, and
0:41:03 > 0:41:07there are absolutely lots of areas where there is room for improvement,
0:41:07 > 0:41:13lots of areas, from mental health, from teacher training. But also part
0:41:13 > 0:41:18of that is also the gun issue. It is not that it is just those are not
0:41:18 > 0:41:23begun, it is all of them. And in the debate world, the high school debate
0:41:23 > 0:41:26world, the kids talk about when they bring up legislation, you want to
0:41:26 > 0:41:29have impacts. You are not bringing up legislation that doesn't have a
0:41:29 > 0:41:37positive impact. And what is the positive impact of having
0:41:37 > 0:41:40legislation that stops the sort rifles, Barron 's assault rifles? It
0:41:40 > 0:41:47could save a life. And that needs to be a priority -- that bans assault
0:41:47 > 0:41:51rifles. When we talk about rights, we have the right for free speech,
0:41:51 > 0:41:57but if free speech in any way in dangers anyone, it gets restricted.
0:41:57 > 0:42:01And I every state we are coming here to listen, and that we are coming
0:42:01 > 0:42:04here to look at all different perspectives, because we need action
0:42:04 > 0:42:14and we need to be solution oriented. We are here because my daughter has
0:42:14 > 0:42:20no voice. She was murdered last week, and she was taken from us,
0:42:20 > 0:42:29shot nine times on the third floor. We come as a country, failed our
0:42:29 > 0:42:35children. This shouldn't happen. We go to the airport, I can't get on a
0:42:35 > 0:42:41plane with a bottle of water, but we leave it, some animal could walk
0:42:41 > 0:42:45into a school and should our children. It is just not right, and
0:42:45 > 0:42:49we need to come together as a country and work on what's
0:42:49 > 0:42:55important, and that is protecting our children in the schools. That is
0:42:55 > 0:43:01the only thing that matters right now. Everyone has to come together
0:43:01 > 0:43:06and not think about different laws. We need to come together as a
0:43:06 > 0:43:08country, not different parties, and figure out how we protect the
0:43:08 > 0:43:16schools. It's simple. It's not difficult. We protect airports, we
0:43:16 > 0:43:24protect concerts, stadiums, embassies, the Department for
0:43:24 > 0:43:27Education, that I walked in today, that has a security guard in the
0:43:27 > 0:43:32elevator. How do you think that makes me feel? In the elevator, they
0:43:32 > 0:43:36got a security guard. I am very angry that this happened, because it
0:43:36 > 0:43:43keeps happening. 9/11 happened once, and they fixed everything. How many
0:43:43 > 0:43:48schools, how many children have to get shot? It stops here with this
0:43:48 > 0:43:55administration and me. I am not going to sleep until it's fixed.
0:43:55 > 0:44:03And, Mr President, we're going to fix it, because I'm going to fix it.
0:44:03 > 0:44:09I'm not going to rest. Look at my boys, my boys need to live with
0:44:09 > 0:44:14this. I want to see everyone, me, I'm a man, but to see your children
0:44:14 > 0:44:20go through this, bury their sister. That's why I keep saying this,
0:44:20 > 0:44:24because I want it to sink in, not forget about this. We can't forget
0:44:24 > 0:44:31about it. All these school shootings, it doesn't make sense. It
0:44:31 > 0:44:33should have been one school shooting, and we should have fixed
0:44:33 > 0:44:43it! And I'm kissed, because my daughter, I am not going to see
0:44:43 > 0:44:53again. She is in North Lauderdale, whatever it is, King David Cemetery,
0:44:53 > 0:44:59that is where I go to see my kid now. And it stops. We all work
0:44:59 > 0:45:03together and come up with the right idea. School safety. It is not about
0:45:03 > 0:45:10gun laws right now, that is another fight, another battle. Let's fix the
0:45:10 > 0:45:14schools and you guys can battle it out. We need our children safe,
0:45:14 > 0:45:18Monday, tomorrow, whatever day it is, kids are going to go to school.
0:45:18 > 0:45:24You think everyone's kids are safe? I would have been at the school
0:45:24 > 0:45:28every day if I knew it was that dangerous. That's enough. Let's get
0:45:28 > 0:45:33together and work with the president and fixed the schools. That's it. No
0:45:33 > 0:45:36other discussions. Security, whatever we have to do, get the
0:45:36 > 0:45:41right people, the consultants. I am never going to see my kid again, I
0:45:41 > 0:45:45want you all to know that. Never, ever will I see my kid. I want it to
0:45:45 > 0:45:51sink in. It's eternity, my beautiful daughter, I'm never going to see
0:45:51 > 0:45:59again, and it's simple. We can fix it. This is my son, Haq, who has had
0:45:59 > 0:46:08to deal with this too. You have something to say, son?I just want
0:46:08 > 0:46:15to add it is imperative to the safety of everyone to support the
0:46:15 > 0:46:21free market and free flow of ideas, and listen to people, radical
0:46:21 > 0:46:30opinions on both sides. And that is how we will find solutions. You let
0:46:30 > 0:46:34people battle it out in a free flow of ideas. Censorship has got to
0:46:34 > 0:46:41stop. That is how we find the solutions, by listening to everyone,
0:46:41 > 0:46:52having an open mind.
0:46:53 > 0:47:00I am Hunter-Paul, class of 15, Marjorie Stoneman Douglas. I walk
0:47:00 > 0:47:07the same hallways where Meadow got shot and all other 16 victims. First
0:47:07 > 0:47:11off, I want to thank the president for having us. We had a very
0:47:11 > 0:47:16effective meeting before I walked into this room. Mr Vice President
0:47:16 > 0:47:19and Madame Secretary, I put all my trust in them and my father that we
0:47:19 > 0:47:23will be able to find a solution. That is all I have to say. Thank you
0:47:23 > 0:47:29for having us.
0:47:38 > 0:47:45My name is Sam, I am a student from Marjorie Stoneman Douglas, Parkland,
0:47:45 > 0:47:52and I just want to take a second first to thank you for having me, Mr
0:47:52 > 0:47:56President, Nistor vice president, Madame Secretary. I was on the
0:47:56 > 0:48:03second floor of that building, texting my mum, texting my dad,
0:48:03 > 0:48:12texting three of my brothers that I was never going to see them again.
0:48:12 > 0:48:16And then it occurred to me that my 14-year-old brother was directly
0:48:16 > 0:48:29above me in that classroom where Scott Beagle was murdered. Scott
0:48:29 > 0:48:32Beagle got my brother in the class, he was the last kid to get back into
0:48:32 > 0:48:41that class. And I'm sure a lot of you have read my texts on the
0:48:41 > 0:48:45internet to my brother. I didn't plan for them to go viral, I just
0:48:45 > 0:48:51wanted to share with the world, because no brothers or sisters or
0:48:51 > 0:48:58family members or anyone should ever have to share those texts with
0:48:58 > 0:49:09anyone. And that's why I'm here. I lost a best friend, who was
0:49:09 > 0:49:12practically a brother, and I am here to use my voice, because I know he
0:49:12 > 0:49:18can't. And I know he's with me, cheering me on to be strong, but
0:49:18 > 0:49:27it's hard. And to feel like this? It doesn't even feel like a week. Time
0:49:27 > 0:49:41has stood still. To feel like this, ever, I can't feel comfortable in my
0:49:41 > 0:49:45country, knowing that people have, will have, I going to feel like
0:49:45 > 0:49:53this. I want to feel safe at school, you know? Senior year and junior
0:49:53 > 0:49:57year, they were big years for me when I turned my academics around,
0:49:57 > 0:50:00started connecting with teachers, and I actually started enjoying
0:50:00 > 0:50:06school. And now I don't know how I am ever going to step foot on that
0:50:06 > 0:50:12place ever again, all go to a public park after school, all walk
0:50:12 > 0:50:15anywhere. Me and my friends, we get scared when a car drives by,
0:50:15 > 0:50:19anywhere.
0:50:23 > 0:50:40And I agree with Hunter and hack Trump Huck, how we need to let ideas
0:50:40 > 0:50:44flow and get the problem-solving store I turned 18 in the day after,
0:50:44 > 0:50:50woke up to the news that my best friend was gone. And I don't
0:50:50 > 0:50:56understand why I can still go in a store and buy a whiff of war -- a
0:50:56 > 0:51:07weapon of war, an they are. I was reading that a person of 20 years
0:51:07 > 0:51:17old bought an AR-15 with a fake idea. How have we not stop this
0:51:17 > 0:51:22after Columbine and after Sandy Hook. I am sitting with a mother
0:51:22 > 0:51:27that lost her son. It is still happening. In Australia, there was a
0:51:27 > 0:51:33shooting at a school in 1999. You know, after that, they took a lot of
0:51:33 > 0:51:38ideas, they put legislation together, and they stopped it. Can
0:51:38 > 0:51:42anyone here guess how many shootings there have been in the schools since
0:51:42 > 0:51:53then in Australia? Zero. We need to do something, and that is why we are
0:51:53 > 0:51:59here. So let's be strong, for the fallen ones who don't have a voice
0:51:59 > 0:52:06to speak any more, and let's never let this happen again, please.
0:52:06 > 0:52:12Please.
0:52:14 > 0:52:21Mr President, Mr Vice President, Madame Secretary. My story is far
0:52:21 > 0:52:29too well-known. I had two sons who were at Sandy Hook school. My eldest
0:52:29 > 0:52:36who was eight at the time survived, and my six-year-old son, Dylan, did
0:52:36 > 0:52:38not, and I have been working tirelessly on this issue for over
0:52:38 > 0:52:48five years now. The organisation that I help lead, Sandy Hook
0:52:48 > 0:52:52Promised, is very focused on keeping kids safe at school because no
0:52:52 > 0:52:55parent should go through this will stop every parent who send their
0:52:55 > 0:52:59kids to school should know without any question in their mind that they
0:52:59 > 0:53:06are going to be coming home that day. This is not a difficult issue.
0:53:06 > 0:53:11You are absolutely right. There are solutions, and this administration
0:53:11 > 0:53:18has the ability to put them in place. And after Sandy Hook Promise
0:53:18 > 0:53:21said we wouldn't have let this happen again, and yet it has
0:53:21 > 0:53:27continued to happen for five years. How many more deaths can we take as
0:53:27 > 0:53:32a country, how many more teenagers, six and seven-year-olds can we allow
0:53:32 > 0:53:36to die. Don't let that happen any more on your watch. There are things
0:53:36 > 0:53:41that you can do right now, mental health community earlier, funding
0:53:41 > 0:53:48for that would be very much appreciated. The stop school
0:53:48 > 0:53:51violence act, enabling prevention programmes and reporting systems in
0:53:51 > 0:53:54schools across America. It has already passed through the house, it
0:53:54 > 0:53:58is in the Senate right now. I urge swift passage of that, that can get
0:53:58 > 0:54:03a lot of help to schools. I absolutely agree, since Sandy Hook
0:54:03 > 0:54:07there has been an increase in school safety and security. We have
0:54:07 > 0:54:10invested a lot in the bricks and mortar of our schools and the
0:54:10 > 0:54:14security of our schools. I think we also need to focus on prevention.
0:54:14 > 0:54:19How do we prevent these acts from happening, how can we help identify
0:54:19 > 0:54:25and get help for people who are at risk of getting help before they
0:54:25 > 0:54:28pick up any weapon? That is what we need to focus on, by preventing
0:54:28 > 0:54:34these acts, and you have the ability to do that. There is legislation
0:54:34 > 0:54:37available to you right now, and there are a free training programmes
0:54:37 > 0:54:41across the States right now, you could mandate these sorts of
0:54:41 > 0:54:45programmes. You could ensure that schools, students and educators are
0:54:45 > 0:54:49trained how to recognise the signs, and to know what to do when they see
0:54:49 > 0:54:52them, and then to ensure that those tips are followed through. This is
0:54:52 > 0:54:59not difficult. These deaths are preventable. And I implore you,
0:54:59 > 0:55:07consider your own children. You don't want to be me. No parent does.
0:55:07 > 0:55:11And you have the ability to make a difference and save lives today.
0:55:11 > 0:55:17Please don't waste this. Thank you.
0:55:19 > 0:55:24Mr President, Mr Vice President and Mrs
0:55:26 > 0:55:32I am a little bit weak, I had surgery last week so I am weak in
0:55:32 > 0:55:37voice and body, but 19 years ago I went through what some of the folks
0:55:37 > 0:55:41here are going through now, because my beautiful daughter, Rachel, was
0:55:41 > 0:55:49killed, and my son Craig was in a library that day. Two of his friends
0:55:49 > 0:55:54were murdered beside him. He lay covered in their blood, looking down
0:55:54 > 0:56:00the barrels of two guns aimed at him. A split-second before the
0:56:00 > 0:56:06trigger was pulled, the alarm system was set off, and it distracted him.
0:56:06 > 0:56:11I would have lost two children that day at Columbine, so my heart goes
0:56:11 > 0:56:14out to you, sir, and to everyone of you in that room that have
0:56:14 > 0:56:20experienced the trauma you have gone through at Parkland. Our focus has
0:56:20 > 0:56:27been, the most beautiful wife, the most beautiful lady in the room
0:56:27 > 0:56:32right there, Sandy, we started a programme called Rachel's Challenge,
0:56:32 > 0:56:37it started a year after Rachel died. We have worked with someone before
0:56:37 > 0:56:41partners over the last few years, we work with Chuck Norris and his wife,
0:56:41 > 0:56:46Jean, a programme they called kick-start the kids. We work with
0:56:46 > 0:56:49Cal Rikan Junior and his brother Bill, and have created a programme
0:56:49 > 0:56:54for athletes called the uncommon athletes, based on something my
0:56:54 > 0:56:57daughter wrote in one of her diaries. We have partners with one
0:56:57 > 0:57:05of Dr Robert Marzano, on a programme called why try, and another
0:57:05 > 0:57:10programme called Love and logic, the Gemma Fay, one of the largest
0:57:10 > 0:57:14parenting programmes will stop all of us combine our efforts together.
0:57:14 > 0:57:18Our organisation has reached over 28 million students and the last 19
0:57:18 > 0:57:23years, and we have seen seven school shootings prevented. We see an
0:57:23 > 0:57:28average of three suicides prevented every week of the year. I have a
0:57:28 > 0:57:33little book with me that I would like to leave with you. It has got
0:57:33 > 0:57:36letters from students, we don't edit them. These are e-mails from
0:57:36 > 0:57:41students who are planning to commit suicide, and we see three of those
0:57:41 > 0:57:47every single week, students who have changed their mind. If you don't
0:57:47 > 0:57:50mind, just want to share one sinful principle with you that we have
0:57:50 > 0:57:53learned over the years, as we work with millions and millions of young
0:57:53 > 0:57:59people. It comes from something you said last week in your speech, and
0:57:59 > 0:58:04it was that we must create a culture of connectedness. We must create a
0:58:04 > 0:58:09culture in which our classmates become our friends. That is
0:58:09 > 0:58:13something we have learned how to do over the years. We have over 28
0:58:13 > 0:58:16different programmes, and we see children connect with one another.
0:58:16 > 0:58:20Every single one of these school shootings have been from young men
0:58:20 > 0:58:25who are disconnected, and we talk a lot about the mental health issues,
0:58:25 > 0:58:28but it actually goes deeper than that, because there are a lot of
0:58:28 > 0:58:33mentally ill children that are kind and compassionate. And so we work
0:58:33 > 0:58:38with those children every single day of the school year, but there is
0:58:38 > 0:58:44with the one with the propensity to violence. So one of the things we
0:58:44 > 0:58:47have learned, and we train young people and we trained teachers, that
0:58:47 > 0:58:54the focus must not just be on unity or diversity, because if you focus
0:58:54 > 0:58:58too much on diversity, you create division. If you focus too much on
0:58:58 > 0:59:02unity, you will create compromise. But if you focus on relatedness, and
0:59:02 > 0:59:07how we can relate with one another, then you can celebrate the
0:59:07 > 0:59:12diversity, and you can see the unity take place. I am all for unity and
0:59:12 > 0:59:17adversity, but the focus needs to be on how can we connect. And that is
0:59:17 > 0:59:19something that we and our organisations have learned. One
0:59:19 > 0:59:22thing we have learned is how to connect students with each other,
0:59:22 > 0:59:28with themselves, their teachers and their parents. And I would love to
0:59:28 > 0:59:33share more as we have a chance to do so. Thank you again for having us
0:59:33 > 0:59:43today.STUDIO: For most of this edition of Outside Source, we have
0:59:43 > 0:59:50watched an extraordinary listening session with resident from, vice
0:59:50 > 0:59:53president, and a number of people who have been affected in different
0:59:53 > 0:59:59ways by school shootings in America. If you are watching on BBC News,
0:59:59 > 1:00:00next is the News at ten with