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April 25, 2007
The shot heard 'round the worldBoardBuzz is agog. Yes, you heard it, agog. How else can we react to Newt Gingrich’s remark promoting more guns on campus? In the wake of increasing incidents of gun violence at schools across the country from Columbine to Red Lake to Virginia Tech, it is amazing that some people insist guns belong on campus and apparently in the classroom. The United Kingdom’s online newspaper Guardian Unlimited (yes, this one was heard the world over, folks) quotes our former House Speaker as saying, “In states where people have been allowed to have concealed weapons, in Mississippi and Kentucky, there have been incidents of this kind of a killer who was stopped because in fact, people who are law-abiding, people who are rational and people who are responsible had the ability to stop them.” And, he said it on national TV! Right on This Week with George Stephanopoulos!
And Gingrich isn't the first to espouse vigilante justice. Back in March, BoardBuzz got wind of this story of Nevada State Senator Bob Beers' proposed legislation that would put guns in the hands of "trained teachers" in order to prevent violence at schools. Yeah, that'll work.
And, so, BoardBuzz wonders how anyone can still believe that the availability of more guns, especially on school campuses anywhere, decreases rather than increases violence involving those very implements. Espousing the kind of vigilantism that Mr. Gingrich seems to be suggesting is contrary to the very notion of a civilized society in which the public square (or school campus) is secured by the rule of law and our value in civil order rather than the holsters on our hips.
Posted April 25, 2007 3:54 PM | School Safety
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Comments(2)
Posted by: Tired College Student on April 25, 2007 6:59 PM
I think that the idea has some merit and might actually be more effective than gun control laws. Before anyone starts calling me crazy hear me out.
Take a look at the rising crime wave in London after they tightened the gun control laws. People who owned guns voluntarily gave them up under the notion that it would create a safer society. Now law breakers and police officers are the only people with guns. The people who live in the suburbs where the police can take at least a half hour to respond to 911 calls really could've used a gun. Some of my friends own guns for the same reason because police can't respond as quickly in the suburbs.
Maybe if my grandfather owned a gun he'd be alive today. The criminal would have thought twice about shooting him in the back. My grandfather refused to purchase a gun from the man. The criminal shot my grandfather in the back not taking no for an answer and took what money he had. No one in the bar did anything to stop this criminal from shooting my grandfather again as he pleaded for help. What could they do being unarmed other than watch and wait to call the police after the murderer left.
My experience and the media has shown me that the rule of law or civil order did not protect the students who were killed by gun violence in any of the schools and it let my grandfathers killer go free ten years later.
Most students aren't taught to defend themselves in these situations but to rely on the police who unfortunantly that can't be everywhere. I think schools should begin focusing on teaching students self defense and how to handle themeslves in these situations.
I'm not sure if arming teachers is the right way to go but I wouldn't be so quick to discount the idea. People need not know specifically which teacher is armed. People might think twice about trying to inflict harm on the students.
If some teachers actually know how to handle a gun and the situation calls for that sort of intervention (police can't gain school access or negotiate) then why not stop the lawbreakers from taking anymore lives? Just my two cents.
Posted by: Rein Vaga on May 3, 2007 2:58 AM
Agreed. If it came down to my son or daughter being in the line of fire from some crazed madman, I would hope there would be someone there with a firearm to take out the killer, regardless of BoardBuzz's "very notion of a civilized society" ideologial bent. And I'm sure some, if not most of the parents of the dead students would agree.
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