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EDITOR: According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, in 1995 there were 223,000,000 guns in civilian hands. There are considerably more now.
According to Dr. James Alan Fox (Lipman Prof. of Criminology Law and Public Policy of Northeastern University in Boston and co-author of Extreme Killing Understanding Serial and Mass Murder), the number of mass murders has been consistent since the 1970s until the present at about two dozen a year.
He further indicated that gun control laws do nothing to reduce the number of murders, but do have a very small impact on overall crime. This would appear to be confirmed by the FBI statistics in that California and New York have some of the most stringent gun control laws and are fourth and 25th in gun violence per capita. Dr. Fox described mass killers as “determined, deliberate and dead set on murder.” Reportedly no laws will stop them from carrying out their violence. While Dr. Fox reportedly does not take a stand on gun control but indicated that those advocating for gun control and those against it are equally wrong in their assumptions.
The National Rifle Association reportedly stated that there have been no armed officers present at any of the school shootings. This is incorrect because there was one officer present at Columbine. Depending on what report you read, either the officer was told not to shoot or the ammunition the officer used was ineffective against the shooter’s body armor. Others have suggested that arming school personnel will deter these murderers from attacking our children. Law enforcement officers go through several weeks of training to become armed and go through several hours of updated training every year to maintain their arming status. It is highly unlikely that arming a minimally trained school administrator will be effective.
Several political figures have used the recent shooting to promote their long-held feelings about gun control. A senator from California and New York’s mayor did not even let the families of the victims bury their children before they were flooding the public with their political diatribe. You have to wonder if they are really concerned about protecting our children or more interested in their own political
ambitions.
If we believe the experts in these areas, it does not appear passing more ineffective gun control laws will make our children safer. It is apparent that there is not a “quick fix” to solve this problem. We should not be lured into a false sense of security that we will be safer by passing more gun control legislation. There are simply no facts to support this.
At this point, no one seems to have an answer. So far our legislators (with their 4 percent approval rating) have not consulted law enforcement, mental health and school professionals to get their input. Until there is an answer it would appear appropriate to put trained, armed security staff (private security or law enforcement) at our schools until a real solution is found.
GEORGE LAHARGOUE
Rescue
The Mountain Democrat does not necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full policy
Fred MillerJanuary 16, 2013 - 11:09 am
USA has many times more guns than the UK and Japan and we have many times more gun injuries than the UK and Japan. If you don't believe that the presence of guns increases the chances of gun injury then you are ignoring reality. This often happens particularly when ideology works in place of objective public interest and policy. The 2nd amendment is about a well regulated militia. We will get better gun control laws when we get a supreme court that brings the 2nd amendment back to its historic interpretation. Guns are the cause of gun injury. We need to remove from the USA as many guns as possible. I say this to honor the life of my murdered Aunt (by her husband), Bob Harris and the thousands of gun victims.
Dink LaneJanuary 21, 2013 - 12:41 pm
GOP + Tea-Party --> Teachers can't be TRUSTED to teach our child....... But they can be trusted with a GUN? And .... Are they going to wear it on their hip? .... or lay it on the desk? Or lock it up? Then they tell the Adam Lanzas: "Wait, wait, I have to go get my gun. Don't shoot yet."
Paddy O'furnitureJanuary 21, 2013 - 1:37 pm
Dink, my 9 year old son's teacher actually does carry a gun-he's home schooled. So he's both one of the safest kids in the county, and one of the best educated. So here you go: Do what you want with your classroom, and I'll do what I want with mine ;^) Get it? Now I'm figgurin' that not only has this whole gun-phobia/control issue caused sales of firearms and ammunition to rocket to the stratosphere, I'm guessing that in a few years, as folks on the left continue the high-pitched screeching and insist that arming teachers is a bad idea, more people will vote with their feet and yank their kids out of public schools and school them at home where they be safer. We shall see...
Dink LaneJanuary 21, 2013 - 2:01 pm
Paddy - The "high-pitched screeching" comes from the hyperbolic rhetoric that say "He's taking our guns. He's taking our guns." That's neither "Right" nor "Left" ... It's Stupid talk. If we want our guns, we are willing to abide by the rules. I don't know of a single "school shooting" done by a person holding Concealed Weapons Permit. And what about the "Armor-piercing bullets"? That should be for specially trained people. You want it? Fine be like the military. Get trained and Register with some authority. I'm not against guns. I'm against STUPID people with guns, and UNTRAINED people with military style weapons and bullets.... But then I'm on the side of Gen McChrystal and Gen. Powell... Not FOX's talking head who can't separate handguns from rifles. (Even FOX owner agrees with common sense.)..............P.S. Paddy, yes my boys and I dropped our memberships.... NRA is NOT the only gun organization.
Paddy O'furnitureJanuary 22, 2013 - 4:40 pm
Dink, so assuming your definition of "stupid people" is not too far off from mine, if I'm not stupid (or crazy), can I keep my guns? Everything I own is CA legal, legally purchased here with background checks and 10 day waiting periods, I've been fingerprinted numerous times for CA contract work and also for adoptions, I haven't so much as a speeding ticket, my taxes are always filed by mid-February, I read the dictionary for fun occasionally, and even my Malamute thinks I'm swell (he's hard to please). So it is okay with you if I keep my pow-pows?
DarrinJanuary 22, 2013 - 6:44 pm
George, I completely agree that ineffective gun control laws are useless. There should be very strict reasons why people need a weapon, by which I mean a hunting type rifle and even stricter regulations on hand guns. To purchase any firearm, an prospective owner must show proof of ownership of a gun safe in which to store the gun and purchase insurance or a bond to protect the public in case the weapons that the person is responsible for are lost or stolen. Homicide rates tend to be related to firearm ownership levels. Everything else being equal, a reduction in the percentage of households owning firearms should occasion a drop in the homicide rate. Evidence to the Cullen Inquiry 1996: Thomas Gabor, Professor of Criminology - University of Ottawa -- http://www.gun-control-network.org/GF01.htm -- Public safety's better served by knowing where all the firearms are and making people accountable for the ownership of their firearms. Canada has figured it out -- http://www.wbez.org/story/under-gun-burden-being-gun-owner-canada-90096
DarrinJanuary 22, 2013 - 6:44 pm
George, I completely agree that ineffective gun control laws are useless. There should be very strict reasons why people need a weapon, by which I mean a hunting type rifle and even stricter regulations on hand guns. To purchase any firearm, an prospective owner must show proof of ownership of a gun safe in which to store the gun and purchase insurance or a bond to protect the public in case the weapons that the person is responsible for are lost or stolen.
DarrinJanuary 22, 2013 - 6:45 pm
Homicide rates tend to be related to firearm ownership levels. Everything else being equal, a reduction in the percentage of households owning firearms should occasion a drop in the homicide rate. Evidence to the Cullen Inquiry 1996: Thomas Gabor, Professor of Criminology - University of Ottawa http://www.gun-control-network.org/GF01.htm Public safety's better served by knowing where all the firearms are and making people accountable for the ownership of their firearms. Canada has figured it out http://www.wbez.org/story/under-gun-burden-being-gun-owner-canada-90096
DarrinJanuary 22, 2013 - 6:46 pm
Homicide rates tend to be related to firearm ownership levels. Everything else being equal, a reduction in the percentage of households owning firearms should occasion a drop in the homicide rate. Evidence to the Cullen Inquiry 1996: Thomas Gabor, Professor of Criminology - University of Ottawa http://www.gun-control-network.org/GF01.htm
DarrinJanuary 22, 2013 - 6:47 pm
Canada has figured it out http://www.wbez.org/story/under-gun-burden-being-gun-owner-canada-90096
DarrinJanuary 22, 2013 - 6:47 pm
Paddy O'Dumbss, no need to respond, I don't read your comments when I see your name attached any more due to the nature of your personal attacks and general stupidity.
The Anti-DarrinJanuary 22, 2013 - 7:55 pm
Darron (Darrin/Moron hybrid), you already have to sign an affidavit that says you own a safe. See-you're almost as smart as you think you are! With regard to all the other crap you spewed, we'll just be glad no one whose making any important decisions about gun ownership asked you. And if you like Canada so much, move there! It's probably to cold for your pansy a$$ though.
DarrinJanuary 23, 2013 - 8:04 pm
Yep - The Anti-Darrin, I is a mo-ron... Every gun owner in the US hasta have a safe and store they guns in it, right, Wrong, MO RON! Most people do not. And you are an idiot if you think that is the case. I hope your IQ is higher than your word count, and the trite, move to Canada thing, oh yawn...