Recently there has been a lot of talk in the media regarding guns and schools. A lot of it makes me wonder if the people who are saying the things actually have brains… I suppose that is a topic for another day though.
Let me start off by saying I am not trying to take anyone’s second amendment rights away, which states people have the right to keep and bear arms. What I do think should happen is a mental health exam should be given when someone wants to purchase said weapon, there should be a grace period before someone walks out of a store with a gun and I’m sorry, why is it necessary for Joe Homeowner to want to purchase an assault weapon… these should be even harder for a person to get… they are military weapons.
As for the talk about raising the age of purchasing a gun, I’m conflicted. You can join the military at 18 – and die for this country… so why can’t you purchase a gun to protect your home at 18? Although, how many 18 year olds are purchasing their own home?
You can argue that wanting to put restrictions on gun purchases are ridiculous, but when it comes down to it, all those kids that lost their lives – none of them woke up on the days their schools were attacked and said, hum, today is a good day to get shot at or killed. Let me ask you this Mr. or Mrs. Gun Owner who doesn’t want their rights revoked – Do you have a child or grandchild in school? What if it was their school that was attacked? And God-Forbid they were injured or worse, would you feel any differently about assault weapons or waiting periods or even mental health testing before a weapon is purchased. It’s really not about your rights getting taken away, it really is about the safety of the children.
I have two kids, both in school. Let me make it perfectly clear I will do everything in my power to keep them protected in a place where they should feel safe. That means I am for everything and everything the schools do to make them a safe place for kids. Metal detectors, AuxLocs (those door lock things), cameras, getting buzzed in, and so on and so forth. Make it more difficult for these people to get into the schools.
Let me also state that I don’t think this is just a gun issue. This is also a bullying issue. Most of these kids that go in wielding their guns and weapons are the victims of bulling and they are out for retribution.
We need better mental health facilities in our country, we need counselors in the schools and most importantly we need bullying to end. Parents of bullies should be fined. Yes, you read that right – fined. I believe bully behavior starts in the home. If you are a jerk, most likely you will raise a jerk of a kid and the vicious cycle will be on-going. Perhaps though, if it hits home, or in your wallet, your demeaning bullying behavior will end and your kids won’t make fun of or bully other kids because they are different.
The children in the schools are innocent victims in all of this. It is our jobs as adults to protect them and keep them safe. The adults (legislators) currently are doing a pretty poor job of keeping them safe. The legislators are the ones that can make the changes, but we, along with the students have the voices that need to be heard.
It's our differences that makes this country great. Don’t be ignorant to those that aren’t the same cookie cutter image as you. The world would be a boring place if we were all the same.
1) A mental health exam? What sporting goods employee making $10 per hour happens to also have a spare degree in Psychology? Background checks are already done & 99.9% of people that pass the background checks don’t kill anyone. Those are as good of odds as you’ll find in any kind of prevention protocol.
ReplyDelete2) The AR in AR-15 stands for Armalite Rifle, Not assault rifle. Armalite was the name of the original manufacturer of these guns. Leftists came up with that term and the media ran with it. Very successfully so, Gotta give it to them. Sold the majority of the world believing that name & all it implies. These are also not “military weapons” as you said. They are semi automatic, Not fully automatic as military ones are. Fully automatic weapons are already illegal & have been for a long time. This is another common misconception.
3) As far as how would I feel if my child was injured or killed....If she was killed because of the school being not prepared for the threat I would be outraged....At the school. Luckily my daughter’s school is proactive. Locked doors, Two armed guards & limited access to the school for all outsiders. Plus the teachers are allowed to keep baseball bats in their classrooms.
You & everyone is certainly entitled to your opinion but please know all the facts first.
-Sean O’Brien
You make very valid points... we have had this discussion before... I don't think I mentioned the AR - just simply said assault weapons. You are lucky - many schools don't have the means to have that sort of protection.
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