I can't read my homepage right now...Yahoo is covering itself in coverage of the massacre of a first grade class. This post has been percolating since Friday, I'm still not completely sure I'm articulating all of what I want to say.
First, as a mother, my heart aches for the families. My son is in 3rd grade and he and his sister are our world. To have that suddenly stolen from you has got to be the worst thing in the world. But on Monday, he will go to school - and even walk there. Without supervision on the 7 block walk. To revert to hovering, to not to keep on living - it allows evil to inch a little closer to ruling this world.
Second, I hope that we will finally say "ENOUGH!" We have had mass murder after mass murder - Columbine, Wisconsin, Aurora, Sandy Hook, Northern Illinois University, Virginia Tech, Tucson. Maybe it is time for adults to re-examine whether or not the 2nd amendment is applicable to our times. The constitution was not intended to be a static document - the Founding Fathers had the foresight to realize that things may need to change. I would love a conversation on whether or not this needs to be done. I do agree with the gun lovers that guns are not the bottom line cause - but I would love a discussion on how do we minimize the use of guns. Whether that is through taxation (ammo would be my target, pun unintended), licensing, mandating insurance. But we need as a country to stop letting people go "SECOND AMENDMENT!!!!!!" and look and talk about how we, as a society, want to enter the future.
Third, please, oh please, let this shine some light on the shittiness that is mental health coverage here in the USA. Lack of insurance coverage, lack of psychologists and psychiatrists, overfilled psych wards. The ER as a front-line, because of the previous factors.
8 comments:
Agree, agree. I had to change my homepage for the first time ever because I couldn't bear to read the news stories. I start crying every time I think of it.
I know Australia made some changes after a particularly bad mass shooting and there haven't been any since, even though they can still own guns. It's fine that people own a gun (well, I don't love it, but I know it won't change), but they shouldn't be able to own what are basically machineguns that fire large amounts of bullets at once. I hope at least we can back the restrictions that were started under Clinton. Please let at least one positive thing come out of this.
I should have added the idea of arming teachers to the post.
ARE THEY FUCKING NUTS?
Just what we need - more bullets whizzing around classrooms, going through doors and hitting "collateral damage." You've seen other people drive - now you want them SHOOTING GUNS? Under pressure?
Gah, I can feel my BP creeping up again. ;)
It all just doesn't bear thinking about - I want to cry thinking about those poor families faced with Christmas next week.
In the UK post-Dunblane gun security was increased. It hasn't stopped the small rampages but it has meant that only one gun, usually one that can only shoot single bullets, is involved. The same has happened in Germany. Noone should be able to have a machine-gun type weapon. I live in northern Italy where every man and his dog goes hunting. I can't remember a similar incident so it is possible to allow that. The recent murder attempts here have been with kitchen knives or hammers.
It was reported here in Europe that local gun shops in Newport had had several people in asking about getting a gun for personal security. I may be a bit thick - but how do they believe that would have helped???????
I want to balance things. The Founding Fathers were right that if people do not have weapons, and the goverment does, tyranny can result.
By that logic, I should have a battery of Patriot missles in my backyard and a suitcase nuke in the closet.
I don't because we do have some reasonable laws. (And I DON'T want them!) How about banning assualt-type rifles outright? They are no good for hunting, and are just man-killers.
Let's start there.
I think that ammo restriction might be the answer that could get anti gun control lobbyists on board. A registry where all ammo transactions are entered and you can only by som much ammo within a certain period of time. It woulod also allow police officers to scan the database to look for any unusual activity. Not a per fect solution but one I think most sane people could live with. After all how many deer are you going to shoot on a hunting trip?
I agree that we as a society must demand better treatment for the mentally ill. My coworker was shot 6 years ago in our hospital by a mentally ill patient. The only change is metal detectors at the door. The patient legally purchased the gun.
Guns are a part of our society. You can put up as many laws as you want, but there will always be a black market while the good guy is unarmed. Tracking the gun owners is a start, but we also track all prescription narcotics and there are still overdose deaths.
The journalism aspect also leaves me disgusted. I haven't watched television or looked at a news site as I'm disgusted with the coverage. I pray for those involved and their families, but no need to rehash every detail endlessly.
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Brilliant! Great talk that was extremely insightful and very entertaining. It’s given me loads to think about.
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