This past year we've seen gun control laws
outnumber the number of laws that loosen gun control.
All right? And although the federal government
didn't do much of anything, many of the states
have stepped up in their own ways.
NEWSWOMAN: Seven states expanded background checks,
and eight allowed law enforcement
to confiscate weapons from at-risk individuals.
NEWSMAN: In Florida, a new law raised the minimum age
to buy a firearm to 21.
Maryland, which has a Republican governor as well,
enacted a red flag law and banned bump stocks.
Oregon closed the so-called "boyfriend loophole."
NEWSWOMAN: Yesterday, Governor Ralph Northam signed
legislation authorizing a "Stop Gun Violence" plate.
Yes. Florida, Maryland, Oregon and Virginia
made it harder for people to access guns.
And Virginia was so fired up, they were like,
"We're also gonna make a license plate!"
Which I know seems small,
but I'm really proud of Governor Ralph Northam for doing that.
I mean, he even used his own hand for the picture.
-So thoughtful. -(audience groaning)
But thanks... I didn't paint his face!
(laughter)
But thanks to the Parkland kids and their allies,
lawmakers weren't the only ones
making some long-overdue changes.
Right? They also put pressure
on America's most powerful citizens,
the corporations.
NEWSMAN: After Parkland, corporate America
has made some changes.
Walmart raised its age limit to buy guns and ammunition.
Dick's Sporting Goods stopped selling assault-style rifles.
Delta Airlines and Hertz no longer offer discounts
to NRA members.
NEWSWOMAN: Bank of America will no longer lend money
to gunmakers that manufacture military-style assault rifles
for civilian use.
Kroger, the nation's largest grocery store chain,
no longer selling guns to anyone under 21.
Wow. Okay. Props to Kroger
for not selling guns to anyone under 21.
But also, why is a grocery store selling guns?
I didn't even know that that was a thing.
I mean, you know people aren't buying them for hunting.
-All the food's right there. I mean... -(laughter)
Unless some people are like, "Buying this food is too easy.
"I want to hunt my own yogurt. Come here, Activia!
-(laughter) -Come on, Activia!"
This is so strange to me. I'm not gonna lie.
America's next-level.
Buying guns at the same place you buy your produce.
Like, how does that even work?
Do you have to check if a gun is ripe?
-Is that what you do? -(laughter)
Are those people going around squeezing it,
firing off a few rounds, just like, "Yeah? Does it work?
"Uh-huh, uh-huh. This one's kind of hard,
"but I'm only gonna shoot it next week,
so I think it's okay, it's okay."
So, all of these measures are great news.
But let's not fool ourselves.
Anytime there's a movement to restrict gun rights in America,
there's always a backlash, and this year was no different.
NEWSWOMAN: 26 pro-gun laws were enacted at state level.
For example, stand-your-ground laws,
which allow the use of deadly force
in response to threats, were expanded in Oklahoma
and introduced in Idaho and Wyoming.
West Virginia forces business owners
to allow guns in parking lots, and Wyoming repealed a law
which had outlawed guns in churches.
Damn. In Wyoming you can carry guns in church?
I don't know if that makes me comfortable
when it's time to pray, you know?
It's just like, "Everybody, let us close our eyes."
"No, you close your eyes."
"Okay, we both close our eyes.
"On the count of three. One, two, three.
"Ah-ah! You didn't close your eyes!
"You didn't close your eyes.
-You want me to meet Jesus first." -(laughter)
I will say this. I will say this.
I don't know about guns in church,
but I think the one church where people should be able
to carry guns is in the Catholic church, yeah.
Be like, "Hey, Timmy, wanna see what's in my chamber?"
"No, you wanna see what's in my chamber, bitch?"
So... because it seems like America
isn't going to say good-bye to guns anytime soon,
some schools have decided to stop waiting for legislation,
and they're gonna take matters into their own hands.
NEWSWOMAN: Schools are investing in dozens of products
that advertise security.
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore
spent nearly $60,000 on bulletproof whiteboards.
And a school district in New Jersey
spent more than $400,000
on shatter-resistant film for glass.
The Columbiana School District is spending $2,600
on panic buttons for teachers to wear.
WOMAN: Oh, he's down.
Teachers in Columbiana, Ohio, are training to take down
an armed intruder with pepper spray.
They're called "Threat Extinguishers"
and cost $1,500 a can.
Oh, whoa, whoa. Hold up, hold up.
That pepper spray thing cost $1,500?
That feels like a rip-off.
I mean, I know the teachers are desperate,
but I just don't know how effective that would be.
I mean, if someone's shooting at you and everyone's scared,
and then you accidentally start spraying someone
because you weren't aiming, it's just like, "Aah!"
And everyone's running into walls and shit.
Like, I won't lie. I would rather just take
$1,500 in singles, and then if a shooter comes
just throw it up in the air.
Yeah. 'Cause I don't care who you are,
when there's money falling,
you're gonna stop what you're doing
and you're gonna try and get some.
It's human nature. We can't control it.
I don't care who you are,
whenever there's money flying around...
-(applause, whooping) -you're gonna be trying to grab it.
You could be Warren Buffett, and you'd still be like,
"Oh, what am I doing? I have all the money!
-This is not natural!" -(laughter)
$1,500 is just way too much for that thing.
And also, what are the poorer schools gonna do?
They can't afford these measures.
They're gonna have to give teachers pepper grinders.
Just get up real close.
Like, "Say when. Say when.
"Say when.
Say when. Say when."
"Aah! Aah, aah!
"Aah, not yet, not yet.
Aah, not yet."
So, look, when it comes to gun regulation in America,
clearly, there is still a long way to go.
But I will say this.
The year since Parkland has been a historic one for gun safety
thanks to the efforts of these determined kids.
Genuinely.
(cheering and applause)
I just personally want to say,
Emma Gonzalez, Jammal Lemy,
Kai Koerber, Carly Novell
and all the other amazing young people
who fought for what they believe in,
thank you so much
for inspiring us and so many others.