Florida School Shooting

[Adrift]

Your statement: "We've tried the liberal approach of disarming law-abiding citizens, and it doesn't work. It's time to go the other direction."

As I pointed out - patently false - and borderline ridiculous.

[carpedm9587]

That made me chuckle... thanks...

[Adrift]

That made me chuckle... thanks...

It's an obvious exaggeration, but I think it points to an alarming reality if arming teachers was implemented on a national scale.

[Zymologist]

It's an obvious exaggeration, but I think it points to an alarming reality if arming teachers was implemented on a national scale.

It is funny, but if teachers were that panicked and trigger-happy, I wouldn't want them in charge of my kids anyway.

[carpedm9587]

It is funny, but if teachers were that panicked and trigger-happy, I wouldn't want them in charge of my kids anyway.

I'm sure that putting guns in the hands of the staff will relax everyone in the building...

[Cow Poke]

I'm sure that putting guns in the hands of the staff will relax everyone in the building...

OK, who is advocating "putting guns in the hands of the staff"?

[Zymologist]

I'm sure that putting guns in the hands of the staff will relax everyone in the building...

Are you saying that the educators of most people's kids are untrustworthy?

[Darth Executor]

I'm sure that putting guns in the hands of the staff will relax everyone in the building...

Cowering under a bench while other students/teachers get shot in the head one by one isn't particularly relaxing.

[Adrift]

OK, who is advocating "putting guns in the hands of the staff"?

You were.

[Adrift]

Are you saying that the educators of most people's kids are untrustworthy?

I'd have little issue saying that. Schools today sound pretty crazy. I'm not a hardcore homeschooling advocate, but after hearing lots of horror stories from friends, I don't blame families for doing it.

[Jedidiah]

I think it is sad that we have a need for such things.

And I have to admit that I find the tedious, mantra of "don't take our guns!" ridiculous. If you say "we need to tighten up background checks" the response is "don't take our guns!" If we say, "maybe we should look at restricting access to assault rifles, it's "don't take our guns." If we say "we could use a national database of firearms to help track who owns what and how many," the response is "don't take our guns!" If we say, "maybe we should have a law that makes the gun owner responsible for what happens with their gun on an equal footing with the gun user," the response is "don't take our guns!" If we suggest, "perhaps we should dedicate some funding to researching gun violence so we can put together data that might actually point to possible solutions that would reduce the carnage," the response is "don't take our guns!"

Most of the time, the response doesn't even make sense, because what is being proposed has nothing to do with taking anyone's gun. But it's an effective mantra. The right and the "gun lovers" of our fair country have a simple message: "don't take our guns!" Backed by the money of the NRA/industry/lobby, it has been an effective tool to keep politicians in their place and preserve the status quo. Those of us who advocate for finding solutions and simple common sense practices (like, "if you're going to do background checks, perhaps it should be done across the board, and not just for 78% of the gun acquisitions?") have a tougher story, which makes it more complex, which historically has caved in front of "don't take our guns!"

But the tide is slowly turning. Each massacre moves the ship a bit. Each community impacted by the violence is shifting the tide. We're up to 64% of Americans. Before too long (I hope) the minority will lose power over this issue and something(s) will finally be done. As I see it, it's largely inevitable. The argument, "to stop gun violence, we need more guns" is so patently ridiculous, sooner or later, people will see it for what it is. It is unfortunate that it requires the death of so many to shift the tide

The point is that there is no reason to believe that any of the gun grabbers "solutions" will have any significant deterrence on mass shootings.

[Cow Poke]

You were.

No, I wasn't. "putting guns in the hands of the staff" is not the same as allowing those who qualify and are highly trained to have access to firearms.

A very general statement as opposed to a very narrow one. I have REPEATEDLY made the case that it's not an "everybody gets a gun" type situation.

[Zymologist]

I'd have little issue saying that. Schools today sound pretty crazy. I'm not a hardcore homeschooling advocate, but after hearing lots of horror stories from friends, I don't blame families for doing it.

Glad to hear it--I don't either. We're currently sending our oldest to a private Christian school. (the horror, I know. Almost as evil as homeschooling.)

[Adrift]

Glad to hear it--I don't either. We're currently sending our oldest to a private Christian school. (the horror, I know. Almost as evil as homeschooling.)

Yeah, private schools sound like a pretty decent alternative to public schools at this point.

[Cow Poke]

Glad to hear it--I don't either. We're currently sending our oldest to a private Christian school. (the horror, I know. Almost as evil as homeschooling.)

We homeschooled, then the local school district had me arrested and wanted to try me for violation of the "public attendance" law - which doesn't exist in Texas.