Tierney debates gun control with Classical students

LYNN – Not a voice was raised nor a speaker cut off during a student discussion at Lynn Classical High School on Tuesday, despite the divisive subject: gun violence.Upperclassmen taking an advanced placement government class crowded into Harry Hartunian’s classroom to hear Democratic Sixth District U.S. Rep. John Tierney, who hosted the discussion, explain his positions on gun safety – among them universal background checks, an assault rifle ban and ‘smart’ guns that only fire when held by their owners.But Tierney also asked students what they thought Congress should do to limit gun violence in America.”The whole issue of gun safety is pretty intense and pretty volatile,” he said.Not so at Classical, where students kept cool heads, discussing with Tierney whether they’d support age limits on guns, annual checkups for licensed gun owners and using existing technology to personalize guns to one or two shooters.”I think we should be more strict to those who want to own guns as opposed to the rest of the people who have guns and know how to use them,” said student Joe Rose, who was recently sworn into the Marine Corps and said he supports limited regulation for gun owners.But class president Shaina Cruel-Reynoso says too many in Lynn are affected by daily gun violence to not do something.”Just the other day someone was shot,” she said.She and Rose found common ground with her suggestion that Congress focus on the social issues that draw people to pick up guns in the first place.Tierney agreed.”We have to do as much on the social end as possible,” he said.It was just one example of compromise among many during the hour-long talk with Tierney, who said later he was impressed by the students’ ability to actually listen to each other and acknowledge opposing viewpoints.”That’s a lost art in public debate,” said Tierney, who hosted a March 2 public forum on gun-control legislation in Lynn that drew an older crowd and more impassioned debate.Whether they agreed with Tierney’s positions, the students all said it was a pleasure to hear them directly from the Congressman.”I think it was awesome,” said Brianna Doucette. “I got to debate, but I wanted to hear his opinion on a lot of issues.”Amber Parcher can be reached at [email protected].