From a gun professional: On teachers carrying concealed weapons:
"The single best way to respond to a mass shooter is with an immediate, violent response. The vast majority of the time, as soon as a mass shooter meets serious resistance, it bursts their fantasy world bubble. Then they kill themselves or surrender. This has happened over and over again." (Here's the full article.)
Only in a world where everyone has a gun for killing others--does this kind of logic even work. I'm not denying guns work as defensive tools. But they ARE designed to be LETHAL.
Even trained professionals have accidents, from time to time. So nobody can tell me it's a good idea to carry hand guns (concealed or not) where children are involved. Because it's NEVER a good idea.
Do you see the problem here?
Here's my logic:
The question remains: is this even possible?
Limit the guns to almost nill, however, and this logic is revealed to be somewhat questionable. Pro gun activists might point out how seemingly impossible it would be to get rid of all the guns. I'm not disagreeing. It is a seemingly impossible task. But consider this: The gun problem is this magnitude because we MADE it this MAGNITUDE.
Saying that it is impossible is just an excuse to keep guns. Let's get rid of the excess. We don't need semi-automatics. Heck, civilians don't need machine guns or anything of that caliber (pun not intended). More guns isn't going to help fix anything.
Saying that it is impossible is just an excuse to keep guns. Let's get rid of the excess. We don't need semi-automatics. Heck, civilians don't need machine guns or anything of that caliber (pun not intended). More guns isn't going to help fix anything.
Only in an imperfect scenario with an already established GUN PROBLEM does strategy like "more guns" trump basic logic.
Moreover, only when you treat schools like WAR ZONES does this sort of thing make any kind of sense.
But we're not talking about the Gaza Strip here. We're talking about U.S. classrooms.
But we're not talking about the Gaza Strip here. We're talking about U.S. classrooms.
Do you see the problem here?
Here's my logic:
"The single best way to respond to a mass shooter is to not have any mass shooters."
The question remains: is this even possible?
When we have half of the other modernized countries on the planet that can pull off little to no shooting, and other related gun crime, then you had better bet your bottom dollar that it's possible.
Does it mean it will be easy? No. Will it be economical? Not likely. But possible? Yes.
The question is, what ware you willing to do to fix this problem?
The question is, what ware you willing to do to fix this problem?
If the answer is more guns--then I'm sorry, all you've done is light another match in the middle of the worst forest fire in recorded history. That's not logical. That's suicide.
Meanwhile, from one of my dear friends who is a teacher like me, in response to the recent news about the Virginia Bill which would order teachers to carry concealed firearms:
So what the gun professionals are saying is: In order to have safer schools you need to have teachers who carry guns, because we have a gun problem.
That's the opposite of logical. That's stupidity.
While I'm sure some teachers agree, most of them, most of the teachers I've talked with at any rate, share my friend's sentiment.
Meanwhile, from one of my dear friends who is a teacher like me, in response to the recent news about the Virginia Bill which would order teachers to carry concealed firearms:
"When this day comes I will leave the field of education. Fighting guns with guns is not the answer."
So what the gun professionals are saying is: In order to have safer schools you need to have teachers who carry guns, because we have a gun problem.
That's the opposite of logical. That's stupidity.
While I'm sure some teachers agree, most of them, most of the teachers I've talked with at any rate, share my friend's sentiment.
The day teachers and educators of children are required to carry guns is the day our schools become war zones, and smart teachers everywhere will simply get out. Quit. We'll walk out of the schools and go find other jobs. Safer jobs. It's also the day that home schooling becomes a much better alternative to public schooling.
So the gun professionals aren't providing any viable solution that fixes the problem. They are merely adding fuel to the flame, and potentially, going to ruin our entire educational system in the process.
Do their methods work? Yes. I'm not denying that. But what they seem to be overlooking is the context. Their methods are designed for war zone type scenarios. They are bringing these scenarios to the schools and into the classrooms.
While good gun strategies will work against those who use guns, what I'm saying is minus the guns we wouldn't need such strategies in the first place.
What we need now is better policies. Not necessarily more gun laws--there are already regulations galore--what I am saying is--we need BETTER POLICIES.
So the gun professionals aren't providing any viable solution that fixes the problem. They are merely adding fuel to the flame, and potentially, going to ruin our entire educational system in the process.
Do their methods work? Yes. I'm not denying that. But what they seem to be overlooking is the context. Their methods are designed for war zone type scenarios. They are bringing these scenarios to the schools and into the classrooms.
While good gun strategies will work against those who use guns, what I'm saying is minus the guns we wouldn't need such strategies in the first place.
What we need now is better policies. Not necessarily more gun laws--there are already regulations galore--what I am saying is--we need BETTER POLICIES.
So instead of using tax payer dollars to arm teachers with guns, many of whom would walk right out if they were ever asked to do such a thing, we should be using tax payer dollars to fund better mental health care, psyche screening, and counselling for children, teachers, and schools.
Let's begin by addressing the root of the problem, which is mental health. The guns debate is just the icing on the cake of a much richer, much darker, issue. Let's address the violence and the violent tendencies of Americans. Let's fund the programs and professionals to help heal peoples' minds before we start handing out more guns.
Let's begin by addressing the root of the problem, which is mental health. The guns debate is just the icing on the cake of a much richer, much darker, issue. Let's address the violence and the violent tendencies of Americans. Let's fund the programs and professionals to help heal peoples' minds before we start handing out more guns.
Then, at least, we won't have teachers threatening to quit en masse because you forced them to carry a gun into a classroom. All that teachers packing guns ensures is that the ticking time bomb is just a few ticks away from some stressed out teacher breaking and then killing their whole class and then themselves. When teachers begin to carry guns, this scenario is INEVITABLE. It's only a matter of time.
The classroom is the LAST PLACE ON EARTH you should ever have to see the presence of a gun.
The classroom is the LAST PLACE ON EARTH you should ever have to see the presence of a gun.