NEW YORK -
Social media has been on fire with talk about the National Rifle Association's recommendations in the wake of the Newtown, Conn., tragedy.
Their suggestion for preventing another mass school shooting is to put armed guards in schools.
After a week of silence, the NRA held its press conference Friday, sparking even more debate.
The NRA has 4 million members. It's a pro-gun organization with the power to vote and lobby for or against stricter gun laws.
After the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting, when a troubled 20-year- old fired his way into an school using a semi-automatic rifle with high-capacity magazines to execute 20 children and six women, there was great interest in the NRA's response.
"The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun, is a good guy with a gun," said Wayne LaPierre, CEO of the National Rifle Association, at that news conference.
He later added, "I call on Congress today, to act immediately to appropriate whatever is necessary to put armed police officers in every single school in this nation."
So, how did Americans react? According to a Gallup Poll recently released, 53 percent agreed increasing police presence in school would be very effective. A third said somewhat effective, and 12 percent said not effective.
Half of those polls said increasing government spending on mental health screening and treatment would be very effective, a third said somewhat, and 14 percent said they don't think it would help.
And when asked if banning the sale of assault and semi-automatic weapons is a good idea, roughly four out of 10 said "yes," two out of 10 said somewhat, and more than a third, 36 percent, said this would not be effective.
Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D) says the NRA missed an opportunity here.
"The NRAs proposals for more guards in schools may be helpful in some instances, but it falls far short of the strong, serious comprehensive action to need to stop this horrific tragedy that happened in Newtown last week," Blumenthal said.
There was no official response from the NRA to the criticism after its press conference, but the group says it will take questions next week, Fox News' Rick Leventhal reported.
