Control Shooters, Not Guns
Thinking out of the Box
We have all heard that guns don't kill, people do. With the recent mass shootings we have had, some people think we need more guns with less gun control and others think we need less guns with more gun control. But just for a moment, let's think out of the box.
Fences
I have observed that most school shootings have been on open campuses without fences. How about if laws were passed that said all public school campuses have to have a fence around the perimeter of the school? The fence could be electrified and even have concertina wire on the top. Sure, it would look somewhat like a prison, but it would protect the students and teachers from any intrusion.Anybody with an AR15 would have a very difficult time trying to climb an electrified fence with concertina wire. The playgrounds should be far enough away from the fences so that they would be out of range for a shooter. For those of you that don't know, concertina wire is barbed wire that is spiraled like a spring and is used to keep the bad guys out or in, depending on the situation.
Security Doors
We could even go one step further and install bank type security doors for all non-students and faculty. You would enter one door and that door would close and lock behind you. Then a guard would open the door in front of you after you showed proper identification and allowed you to enter. Installing fences and security entrances in all schools would create many jobs as well. The faculty could have proximity detector cards, where they don't even have to show the card. All they have to do is pass within the proximity of a a detector.
Security Cameras
When I worked for big aerospace companies, they always had security cameras mounted outside the buildings and also inside in hallways and other areas that needed tight security. They also had guards that monitored the video as it switched from camera to camera. The cameras could be mounted high enough so that they would not be accessible to vandals.
The side benefits of Installing fences, security entrances, and security cameras would also create jobs in the construction and high tech fields.
Lasers
Each teacher could be armed with a laser pointer. In case an assailant entered the class room, the teacher could shine the beam into the persons eyes and cause the person to become disoriented and maybe even cause partial blindness.
High Intensity Lights
There are also high intensity lights that are used mainly by law enforcement and the military. The objective of the light is that it is so bright that it blinds the intruder so that he becomes disoriented and cannot function.
Moral Issues
I have covered the security of schools, but there are many other issues that are difficult to legislate and difficult to control:
- Buying firearms from the back of a vehicle in the parking lot of a gun show.
- Buying firearms online
- Controlling the viewing of violent video games by adults and children
- Storing firearms in locked cabinets in the home
- Determining the mental competence of those in possession of firearms
These are issues that deal more with our moral social fabric than legislation. But perhaps by thinking out of the box, we may be able to solves these situations as well.
Related
New Gun Laws and Gun Control for Gun Owners of America
The NRA Is Not a Terrorist Organization
The Truth About Hitler, Guns, and German Gun Laws
Gun Rights: The Honorable Gabrielle Giffords and Gun Control - The Kill Clock: 341,228 since 1-1-11
How to Create Gun Legislation That Sticks (Guns Vs Gun Control Part VII)
Comments
- AUTHOR
Dan: Thank you for your insight and comments.
I've helped build several schools, and have found some of what you suggest to be already practiced. No fencing (the amount of land available nearly always forbids that), but the security doors are there as are the cameras (including in the parking lot). Lock down systems are, too, where a single button press shuts and locks all doors. There is a cop present, in his own office where the cameras feed to, whenever school is in session.
I do think the lasers only result would be to get the teacher shot before the students, though. Can't see that to be of any value. Now if you gave them a laser strong enough to punch a hole in a shooter...
- AUTHOR
Thanks Carolyn for stopping by. This is an old hub that I should revise. So many things have changed since I wrote this hub. Now we have terrorists and shooters who can out gun law enforcement officers.
One of my favorite bumper stickers: Guns don't cause crime any more than flies cause garbage. Good points in your hub.
- AUTHOR
Shyron E Shenko: I heard from the head of a security company, no matter how well thought out the plans are for security, each situation is different and there is always something unexpected that occurs. Thanks for your comments.
I thought about the people who say that teachers should be armed. Then I thought, if a teacher had a gun locked in her desk, if she does not know that a man is outside her class room with an assault rifle, then he burst through the door, he would be shooting before she had time to unlock the desk drawer.
Lets say she was warned by a camera, by the time she got to the gun, would she, as a person who cares about other people especially children, could she shoot another person? I don't think so.
- AUTHOR
LauraD093: My wife said you can have me! lol. I know some of my ideas are far out, but I was just trying to get people to think outside the box. As far as gun laws not being enforced, I just published a hub on why the ATF can't enforce gun laws. It's quite revealing. Here is the link: https://hubpages.com/politics/How-to-Stop-the-ATF-...
Thanks for dropping by.
peoplepower73 If I wasn't already married I'd propose lol...Although I don't agree with all your suggestions i.e. fence or the lasers they are all valid solutions. Common sense- all debate aside- is that guns are going to be available regardless of them being restricted or not. The black market can not be policed or monitored effectively it just can not be done. Look at how well prohibition turned out the bans made a lot of people rich but no less able to access booze. Thanks for a well written hub.
- AUTHOR
Lipnancy: Thanks for the vote of confidence. I agree with you about the black market
Keep the good ideas coming. Because that gun control just does not work. You will always be able to get a gun on the black market, no matter how many restrictive laws are passed.
- AUTHOR
Michele Travis: Thank you. The comments I have received so far have some really good ideas also.
- AUTHOR
Shyron E Shenko : I like your idea of the locks. I worked at Huges Aircraft in a secure area. When we would have fire drills, the doors to the offices would automatically close. Thanks for your comments.
Your hub put some very good ideas out there. I hope more people read this hub.
Voted up.
- AUTHOR
MatthewJFeeney: A laser pointer is the size of pen. Men could carry them in their pockets. Women could wear them like a pendant around their neck. The electrified fences could be turned on if their was an intruder and turn off when conditions are safe. The barbed wire would be at the top of the fence where children would not be able to reach it. Thanks for your comments.
- AUTHOR
Dont Taze Me Bro: Thanks for your input. As far as the fences go, it seems to me that all of the shootings have been on walk-on campuses. I like the idea about a sleeping gas. I'll have to do the research on that. Maybe they could install it in the ceilings like smoke detectors and have it triggered in each classroom.
I like the camera idea, not the fence. If the camera alerted the office and the class rooms had locks that could be locked from the office if someone suspicious came into the school.
Good hub, I am glad someone is trying to put good ideas out there.
I think you are correct that thinking outside the box could result in unique solutions to the problem of school shootings. I especially like your idea of cameras. There would be significant issues of children harming themselves and other children with lasers, gas grenades, lasers, barbed wire, and electric fences if any of these ideas were implemented. Children experiment and explore ceaselessly; having such dangerous items in their presence would inevitably result in injuries. I would be interested in any other out of the box ideas you have.
Fence is no good, shooter could wait outside the fence and gun everyone down as they were leaving the school between coming out the door and getting to the fence gate they'd be herded like lambs to the slaughter and a getaway would be easier.
Security Doors with bullet proof glass would have saved the CT children - he shot out the glass windows by the door to get into the school. The school should have had the right type of wired glass in those windows.
Security Cameras would be good if the monitors could be placed in every room with a panic phone so at any time many people could be monitoring all of the cameras. - teachers in the faculty room, in study halls, secretaries, principals, coaches whatever...in a big school you wouldn't even need a full time security guard monitoring the cameras as the whole faculty could play a part.
Personally I would prefer that teachers were all equipped with grenades (the type that releases a gas that would put the intruder to sleep instantly - colateral damage would be limited to putting students to sleep which already occurs often in some schools - they do have such things, in the movies anyway?).
- AUTHOR
movingout: Thanks for the comments
Im okay with all but the electrified fence or bobwired fence. Some good ideas none the less!
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