An American Problem

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   GNelsonposted 11 years ago

   The fact that we live in a country where we have to consider putting guns in schools to try to keep our children safe is an indication that we have a problem.  If the “guns in schools” works then do we put guns in movies, churches, malls and anywhere else people gather.  Protecting our children is a priority and I can’t argue against anything that might work.  But protecting the children is not the problem it is a symptom of the problem.  To me the problem is that some people take guns and use them to slaughter a number of people.  We either make some changes to try and prevent that slaughter from happening or we accept it as part of American life.
   
   What are your thoughts?

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      LauraD093posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      GNelson -you are correct Gun-control is just a symptom of a much larger problem. Educators- educate  their responsibility should not be to also police their classrooms. The Mental Health system is yet another symptom. Legislature needs to change  but there is (as always) a fine line between our right to bear arms and the agony felt by a family who has lost an innocent child  -they bear the reality of never being able to hold their child in their arms ever again.

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         Paul Wingertposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Posting armed guards everywhere is ridiculous and who's going to pay for all this? In school, one would have to post a guard in every room and hallways. Shouldn't be too much of a distraction. The Supreme Court ruled that we have the right to bear arms (which is not exactly what the 2nd Amendment says) the government has the right to restrict or even banning certain firearms and accessories.

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            Moderndayslaveposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            We have had a sheriff in our area high schools for years, what's the problem?  Its a one person paycheck for 40 hours a week per building.Do the police have to be parked in the weeds giving out tickets? What does your overpaid school administrator make?

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      Brenda Durhamposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      It's not just an "American" problem.  But yes, it's a problem in America.
      
      I think there should be stricter regulations on who gets to own a gun.   And maybe their circumstances should be re-checked every so often, kinda like Social Security does a review of eligibility every 3 years or whatever for many people.    Yes, seriously.    If a gun owner has a family member doesn't think to lock up the weapons relative to whether a child or spouse or whatever has developed mental problems or if circumstances change that make it imperative to get rid of the weapons, etc.,  a review of gun ownership might be called for.   
      While I do believe in the right to own an gun for protection, I also believe that circumstances and responsibility make that a privilege, not necessarily a right for every person in America.     It's difficult, though, because (human nature being what it is),  it would be a huge endeavor to try to monitor gun ownership responsibility.   I mean, even police officers aren't guaranteed to always handle their weapons properly, or even their vehicles!    So we can only do so much.
      But I don't think my idea is so bad.  I mean, really, some American get mad 'cause airport security calls for searches, etc.    Why would they mind being searched??   If it saves lives, why would they mind?   The "rights" activism in this Country has been taken to whole new levels that it should've never gone to, from the "right" to cuss somebody out without repercussions to the "right" to advocate for indecency in public, to the "right" of a robber to sue his/her victims!     So the situation is very confusing  on both sides of the issues.   It's no wonder that gun owners hold onto their "rights" when so many wrong things are being viewed as "right".   
      
      That being said, there will always be people who commit crimes including murder.   And honestly, there seems to be no good way to handle this situation.    I think the best is to have stricter laws on what types of weapons a civilian can own,  more intensive background checks, periodic checks of some sort,  but NOT to take away their rights to gun ownership within the limits of feasible protection and sport.

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      Jack Burtonposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Perhaps my hub, "Is the damage to society from the misuse of guns worth the freedom to have guns?" can help you understand some of the deeper issues around this topic.

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   whoisitposted 11 years ago

   This isn't only an American problem and it certainly isn't new.
   
   http://www.newser.com/story/159590/amer … liest.html

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      Kathryn LJposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      That link was really interesting, especially the note found saying that criminals are made not born.   If that really happened it meant he knew exactly what he was doing and even coming up with an excuse for why he was doing it.  Makes you think.  If we all gave into base impulses, we'd be blowing up/ shooting people every single day.  It's a wonder there aren't more incidents.  I still say that it happens more in countries that have ready access to weapons and a culture of fear against the 'bad guys'.

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         whoisitposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         It really happened and it was not the first killing in a school. My point is that firearms are not the only tool used for mass killings. You do not need dynamite to blow up a school fertilizer can be used as an ingredient in the manufacture of explosives as the Morrow building in OK city shows. Will we now ban fertilizer?

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   movingoutposted 11 years ago

   Instead of guns in schools we need to consider apparently bullet proof doors that can only be unlocked from the inside. Protected with outside cameras! And while we're at it, the same type doors for each class room. I'd rather see that, then my grandkids coming home and asking me why all the men and teachers have guns! I see no benefit for our kids seeing that image everyday!

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   ssmith1534posted 11 years ago

   I believe that gun control is a symptom of one America's larger problem: the inability to handle problems. Our society is heavily focused on throwing "quick fixes" at issues that really need more attention. There have been people that have been shot and killed in communities all across this country, including children, for decades. Were any laws passed to prevent this from happening? Maybe so, but I've missed them. I've been an American all my life, and am proud to belong to such a free country. But being a free country also comes with it's responsibilities. If we want to have guns, then we need to take all necessary precautions to make sure we as a country are and feel safe. Creating a law, is not going to fix everything. Discussions about guns and what they do, how they're portrayed in video games, music videos, etc; why you have one in your home...all of these discussions need to take place on a regular basis in everyone's home. It's not one person's job to fix this issue in our country, every citizen plays a role as well.

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   LauraD093posted 11 years ago

   Hooray for ssmith1534! I have been trying to articulate my frustration over this entire "media frenzied" "polarized-political and citizens beware," stew pot. Thank you sssmith1534 for stating so eloquently what needs to be said.
   
   ***I believe that gun control is a symptom of one America's larger problem: the inability to handle problems. Our society is heavily focused on throwing "quick fixes" at issues that really need more attention. There have been people that have been shot and killed in communities all across this country, including children, for decades.***
   
   I have been walking around on this planet for more then a minute and the spilling of blood be it in an CT classroom or from a stray shot during a botched robbery or a drive-by shooting or fired out of a twisted belief system makes little difference to those that are left to mourn and continue to function in a flawed system. A good New Year's resolution for us all should be for unity toward concrete changes and hope that more thinkers such as sssmith1534 come forward to make their voices heard.

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      ssmith1534posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you LauraD093!!!!! My hope is that we as a country move out of our "quick fix" tactics in search for solutions that are more long term. It's like we're putting a bandaid on a wound that really needs stitches.

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   Astra Nomikposted 11 years ago

   Other countries don't allow or tolerate guns in schools or anywhere else and there is far less gun crime. There are far less gun crime victims. What happened in Connecticut was so sad and regrettable.
   
   There is an unhealthy lack of respect for human life and too many guns allowed that perpetuates it. The problem is that it always is somehow allowed ... and we are always reacting to the thing after the event. Never before it. We all know victims of this horror, and yet why do we do nothing about it?
   
   I wonder how many dead victims will it take before society wakes up and does something absolute to prevent children from dying...

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