Something must be done to minimize the chances of this happening again. The simplistic answer for many is to call for increased gun control. No doubt a better job could be done screening gun buyers. But in the case of the shootings at Sandy Hook the guns were purchased legally by the shooter's mother. He didn't buy the weapons himself. No amount of screening is going to prevent a mentally ill person from stealing guns from someone else and committing a crime. Maybe mental health screening will reduce the chances of guns being purchased by some incompetent people, but as seen in this case, it will never reduce the possibility to zero.
I am not against gun ownership. The vast majority of gun owners are responsible people who use their guns for hunting, target practice or keep a gun at home for self defense. They are not people who are going to go on a shooting rampage or ever fire a gun in anger. They are not the problem, though many of them like to portray themselves as persecuted and are paranoid that the government is going to take their guns. If you think about it, gun owners should be the first to be calling for stricter screening; incidents like those at Sandy Hook Elementary give all gun owners a bad name.
I don't have any answers. Armed, off duty cops at every school in America? Hardened entrances at every school, making fortresses out of what is supposed to be a welcome environment? Weapons training and carry permits for at least one staffer in every school? Our own contributor, The Big Guy, has been a member of his local school board for many years. Today, he and his colleagues must be asking themselves some of these same questions.
When you send your child to school in the morning you shouldn't have to worry about them being safe and coming home. On Friday last, 20 happy children in Connecticut left for school like every other day. Only this wouldn't be like any other day. We must find a way to not have any more like it.
10 comments:
It's hard to talk about, let alone write about. You did a fine job with no real answers to offer. Nobody really has the answers. You're right, he did not steal the weapons, they were bought legally by his mother. I think they will be delving more into her life now. Sadness just fills the air.
We are on the same wave length. Nothing will stop a psycho from getting a bomb or a gun, but we must do a better job of psychological screening to eliminate as many as possible. And, formidable as it is, we must start the laborious process of eliminating as many illegal guns as possible. The point is, we have to start constructive action.
Incidents like the tragedy at Sandy Hook and the shooting at the movie theater will always occur but not because of legally purchased guns and people with CCW permits.
You no doubt have seen many on the left using this tragedy to further their agenda that guns are bad the NRA is bad and the president must do something. This was happening even before the little children's bodies were even removed from the school.
More gun laws will only hurt those who are honest, non-violent, gun owners. The criminals and the mental case who committed this horrific act do not care about gun laws. They will always find a way to buy their guns on the street and in this case the mother also had problems. She had to know her son also had problems but she took him to the range and allowed him access to her guns.
I am convinced that the anti-gun people will never be satisfied until all guns are banned.
Kirby, I fail to see how more and better screening of gun purchases will hurt responsible gun owners. If you are not a felon, have not committed violent acts in the past AND can pass a psychological screening, you have nothing to worry about.
In Ohio it takes less than 30 minutes to legally buy a gun, including filling out the Federal form and waiting for the background check to be called in. Why can't there be better screening; why would a legitimate, responsible gun buyer object to waiting a few days to get his gun?
Nobody with any brains is calling for a total gun ban. That's what I mean about paranoia.
Did I mention in my first comment aside from the gun ban anything you said in your comment?
Did I say I was against better background checks and a waiting period?
I purchased a gun years ago when there was a 3 day waiting period.
I also have a CCW permit. Do you know what one has to do, the training one must take, the background check one must go through to acquire one?
Yes! There are many people who would like to see a ban on guns. Many do not believe in our Second Amendment.
I have to get back to work… you attempt to come across in most instances as the learned one…you are not.
Since I just took the Ohio CCW course, I know exactly what is involved. I will never use it but I wanted the additional training.
Just more learned than you, which isn't much to brag about.
Suck it, Kirby.
Sorry folks, stricter gun laws won't do crap. I hate to write this, but the punishment for these murderers is too easy. Too many of these assholes get away with this because they are deemed "mentally unfit to make a decision." Bullshit. That's just an excuse. Time to enforce Capitol Punishment more often. And I didn't use to believe in Capitol Punishment, but the world's ways have changed my mind.
These guys who have the uncaring attitude of life are just not caring if they are going to prison. Prison simply allows them to not deal with life and they use crime as a scapegoat. If they knew the punishment was hazardous to their health, maybe they'd think twice.
Kirby got served by the old man.
Claire, I just can't agree with you. I sense your frustration, but multiple studies have proven that the death penalty does not serve as a deterrent.
As you can see Kirby, my homies are not to be messed with.
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