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Gun control debate: Background checks
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Who Are the Shooters'
- Jareen, CNN iReport producer
I just wanted to share that as a teacher I would have no problem carrying a concealed weapon in school. As you can see by the picture I am a commissioned security officer, receiving my commission from the Texas Department of Public Safety and I also possess a concealed handgun license. In my CNN ireport “Sandy Hook-A Teacher Thoughts” http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-897281 I made a suggestion that schools establish teacher emergency response teams comprised of teachers who would undertake the training and licensing to carry a weapon in school. The training would be coordinated through the school districts safety office and training would be done concurrently with local law enforcement. I know that I’ve seen comments such as “That’s all we need, is a bunch of teachers running around with guns”, and “The teacher will pull out their gun for the slightest thing”. In thirty two years in the Army and the Army National Guard I NEVER had occasion to even consider using my assigned weapon to shoot anyone. If I have to use my weapon it will only because I have or someone has already been shot at or I know that if I do not use my gun someone will be shot. That is the only time I would draw my weapon. The NRA came out with the idea of using returning soldiers to help out with school security. The idea does have some merit to it but I don’t believe that all returning soldiers should be used. The Defense Department has a program called Troops to Teachers’ http://www.proudtoserveagain.com/ and this program helps to train, certify and place qualified veterans’ into classrooms. Some of these returning vets could be used in establishing the school emergency response teams. On December 27th, 2012 Ralph K Ginorio who teaches world history and chairs the history department at Sacopee Valley High School in Limington, Maine wrote in the Portland Press Herald “As a veteran public school history teacher, I know that allowing teachers to qualify to carry concealed firearms on campus is not only feasible, it is essential.”
“No other safety plan has an equivalent potential to limit the harm that an aspiring mass murderer would otherwise achieve. Our decaying public morals, unrestrictive mental health regulations, and ACLU-fettered law enforcement create a cocktail where psychopaths walk among us without fear.” http://www.pressherald.com/opinion/teachers-armed-and-trained-are-in-the-best-position-to-protect-kids_2012-12-27.html
The issue of mass killings is a very disturbing and emotional one but in order to effect a change in our society it must be dealt with in a multi-faceted manner. The Los Angeles Times printed the following on April 16, 2000:
“WASHINGTON — Marking the first anniversary of the shooting deaths at Columbine High School, President Clinton announced $120 million in new federal grants Saturday to place more police officers in schools and help even the youngest kids cope with their problems.”
"In our national struggle against youth violence we must not fail our children; our future depends on it," the president said in his weekly radio address. “In that same article it stated the President had earmarked money for child-counseling programs but GOP critics said that youth problems should be dealt with at home. I just finished taking a class about Juvenile Delinquency and the very last part of the class dealt with school shooters. In the text we used “Juvenile Delinquency the Core” by Larry J. Siegel and Brandon C. Welsh the authors pose this question; “Who brings guns to schools? They answer “Many of these kids have a history of being abused and bullied: many perceive a lack of support from peers, parents, and teachers. Kids who have been victims of crime themselves and who hang with peers who carry weapons are the ones most likely to bring guns to school. A troubled kid who has little social support and carries deadly weapons makes for an explosive situation.” Siegel and Welsh also state that “research discovered that most shooting incidents occurred around the start of the school, the lunch period, or the end of the school day.” The United States Secret Service was able to develop a profile of the typical school shooter and released their findings in May 2002. www.secretservice.gov/ntac/ssi_final_report.pdf Siegel and Welsh state that the following profile of shooters was noted: “Shooters typically developed a plan of attack well in advance; more than half had considered the attack for two weeks and had a plan for at least two days. The attackers’ mental anguish was well known, and these kids had come to the attention of someone (school officials, police, fellow students) because of their bizarre behavior prior to the attack taking place.“ Noteworthy is the age range which varied between 11 to 21, and lack of evidence that the shootings were a result of the onset of a mental disorder. Many felt depressed or desperate because of having been bullied or picked on. Having a grievance or feeling persecuted was found in three-fourth and two-thirds of the attackers respectively. Siegel and Welsh conclude “that in more than three-fourths of the incidents the attackers had difficulty coping with a major change in a significant relationship or a loss of status, such as a lost love or a humiliating failure. Not surprisingly, most shooters had experience with guns and weapons and had access to them at home.” I would suggest that maybe if intervention were to start with mandatory scheduled periodic counseling staring with the 1st Grade through the 12th Grade that maybe, just maybe some of the youth who could potentially be attackers would find the support structure to deal with their feelings and emotions in a non-destructive way. If a person is seeing a licensed therapist then part of the initial interview is to talk to that persons’ responsible family members to determine if there are firearms kept in the home or the home of a friend or relative. Advice should be given on what measures that persons’ family can take to insure that the individual can’t gain access to the firearms. Families need to do whatever is necessary to keep troubled youth and guns separated. I hope that Vice President Biden’s Commission on Gun Violence will present to President Obama a multi-faceted plan and not just recommend gun restrictions as the way to stop gun violence in our country.
“No other safety plan has an equivalent potential to limit the harm that an aspiring mass murderer would otherwise achieve. Our decaying public morals, unrestrictive mental health regulations, and ACLU-fettered law enforcement create a cocktail where psychopaths walk among us without fear.” http://www.pressherald.com/opinion/teachers-armed-and-trained-are-in-the-best-position-to-protect-kids_2012-12-27.html
The issue of mass killings is a very disturbing and emotional one but in order to effect a change in our society it must be dealt with in a multi-faceted manner. The Los Angeles Times printed the following on April 16, 2000:
“WASHINGTON — Marking the first anniversary of the shooting deaths at Columbine High School, President Clinton announced $120 million in new federal grants Saturday to place more police officers in schools and help even the youngest kids cope with their problems.”
"In our national struggle against youth violence we must not fail our children; our future depends on it," the president said in his weekly radio address. “In that same article it stated the President had earmarked money for child-counseling programs but GOP critics said that youth problems should be dealt with at home. I just finished taking a class about Juvenile Delinquency and the very last part of the class dealt with school shooters. In the text we used “Juvenile Delinquency the Core” by Larry J. Siegel and Brandon C. Welsh the authors pose this question; “Who brings guns to schools? They answer “Many of these kids have a history of being abused and bullied: many perceive a lack of support from peers, parents, and teachers. Kids who have been victims of crime themselves and who hang with peers who carry weapons are the ones most likely to bring guns to school. A troubled kid who has little social support and carries deadly weapons makes for an explosive situation.” Siegel and Welsh also state that “research discovered that most shooting incidents occurred around the start of the school, the lunch period, or the end of the school day.” The United States Secret Service was able to develop a profile of the typical school shooter and released their findings in May 2002. www.secretservice.gov/ntac/ssi_final_report.pdf Siegel and Welsh state that the following profile of shooters was noted: “Shooters typically developed a plan of attack well in advance; more than half had considered the attack for two weeks and had a plan for at least two days. The attackers’ mental anguish was well known, and these kids had come to the attention of someone (school officials, police, fellow students) because of their bizarre behavior prior to the attack taking place.“ Noteworthy is the age range which varied between 11 to 21, and lack of evidence that the shootings were a result of the onset of a mental disorder. Many felt depressed or desperate because of having been bullied or picked on. Having a grievance or feeling persecuted was found in three-fourth and two-thirds of the attackers respectively. Siegel and Welsh conclude “that in more than three-fourths of the incidents the attackers had difficulty coping with a major change in a significant relationship or a loss of status, such as a lost love or a humiliating failure. Not surprisingly, most shooters had experience with guns and weapons and had access to them at home.” I would suggest that maybe if intervention were to start with mandatory scheduled periodic counseling staring with the 1st Grade through the 12th Grade that maybe, just maybe some of the youth who could potentially be attackers would find the support structure to deal with their feelings and emotions in a non-destructive way. If a person is seeing a licensed therapist then part of the initial interview is to talk to that persons’ responsible family members to determine if there are firearms kept in the home or the home of a friend or relative. Advice should be given on what measures that persons’ family can take to insure that the individual can’t gain access to the firearms. Families need to do whatever is necessary to keep troubled youth and guns separated. I hope that Vice President Biden’s Commission on Gun Violence will present to President Obama a multi-faceted plan and not just recommend gun restrictions as the way to stop gun violence in our country.
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