NRA: Armed Security at Schools in America
Finally, the NRA has spoken about the recent Sandy Hook slaughter in Newtown, Connecticut. The arguments presented are valid, the reasoning is also valid. Guns in the hands of trained persons with no mental disabilities seldom are a danger.
The NRA seems to blame not the gun, per se, but the person with the gun. This person who is evil, mentally retarded, or has other mental issues with the gun is. They are cause, along with society, TV, movies, video games, youtube. They noted that President Obama slashed funding for school protection services for the coming the year and for last year. The NRA presents valid arguments how armed persons protect our banks, many office buildings, government buildings, yet oddly, not our schools. Why? Do we still think copycat sick people with guns or maybe terrorists will not do the same murder at other US schools? Is 911 better than a trained person with a gun or armed teachers in the heat of the moment when time is of essence?
For myself, I don't own a gun. But, the NRA has many valid arguments for providing armed security at US schools. How can you not, in part, agree? Armed security is also a deterrent. We are not talking of a squad of them, just one-two, depending on the budget and size of school. For instance, my 8th grader is at school. If a gunman wanted to, they could easily create another Shady Hook incident within minutes. There is absolutely zero security and the campus is open from many points. Having one armed security person there would, at least, provide some deterrent.
Many inner city schools have metal detectors already, where all students walk through. This could be another solution. The Shady Hook incident probably has given terrorists consideration for easy targets that shock a nation but on a multiple and larger scale. They are all unprotected, like water supply. The mission would be suicide.
The NRA presented the argument that a partially mentally unstable person is hard to detect. There could be one anywhere in the crowd, in the office and has a gun. So, that is the other problem. There should be laws making it harder to get a gun at a store or gun show. The FBI check should include mental health records not just criminal records.Steep penalties should be had if a person has no permit for a gun.
Whatever the solution is to the gun problem, trained armed security at schools is part of the solution. We are no longer living in the safe 1950's, 1960's, 1970's.