This is what NRA chief executive has been quoted as saying “”The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun,” he said, roughly outlining plans for an NRA-sponsored program to train and certify volunteers to protect schools from “the next Adam Lanza.”.
What an abnormal situation to get into? Caused by not only the instruments, but also the instrument owners! In my humble opinion, to defend an abnormal situation, it is better and is necessary to isolate the two with good weapon controls than to arm! This has given me an opportunity to put my case forward on the fallacy of this statement made by the NRA chief.
How can we even assume that good guys don’t turn into bad guys due to all the stress and strain that a modern society is subjecting them to? Haven’t we seen the kids who once have been raised as good kids in schools, turn into outcasts by the very society that failed to help them grow responsibly? Should we just blame the games and forget the sociity making them angry, frustrated and more inclined to cause damage to the very society that had made them to become what they are now? It has been the case over a long period of time without any changes towards a trend of improvements, but going other way round year after year. Year after year, we see that these guns becoming more sophisticated, powerful and with increased capacity to inflict huge damage that has become all too familiar. I think NRA needs to wake up to this fact to reassess the changed conditions of the 21st century than to suggest putting more of those powerful guns in everyone’s hands.
I would agree a security guard at schools would be a deterrent towards a would be attacker. But that does not give any assurance of security to teachers or kids as we have seen that failing badly in Columbine shooting case. I believe, only the increased awareness by teachers and kids towards the dangers of these powerful weapons, thinking that no place can be considered safe as long as those assault-type rifles are out there on the streets, and, always being on alert to the anomalies that a modern society can present without any prior indications of the same, can somewhat help to alleviate the situation. However, it does not remove the threat. This line of thinking should make us ask questions till we find either the root cause or the full impact of the direction taken.
So, what next? Arm teachers too with guns?
Let us take an unbiased look at the teacher community. While we can and do trust most of them to maintain good teacher-student relationships, haven’t we heard of stories that thwart the very relationship we hold dear to our hearts and minds? Haven’t we heard the stories of some unthinkable acts performed that were once considered outside the realms of teacher-student relationship. So let’s not be in a self-denial when that we once considered as holy is no more the case.
What happens if and when we encounter a rogue teacher going out of control. What next? Arm all students with guns? Can’t we all realize by now where this is leading us to: eye for an eye making the whole world blind?
What next? What happens next since schools are now protected? What about other places like churches, temples and other public places considered very holy and safe to be considered for an arming solution?
Taking this good guy versus bad guy scenario even further to these much holier places we may have to end up arming the nuns and pastors with guns, priests with guns and so on.
There are so many public places around we consider safe and secure because of good guys doing good acts, kind acts, acts of sacrifice, but not defending but well defended by the law enforcement agencies. That’s why we have established law enforcement offices, justice systems and all other types of avenues to help this cause. Don’t we then might have a situation where the need to arm a good guy may turn good guys into bad guys because of other influences that an evolving society cannot stop or the existing law enforcement agencies may fall short?
I don’t think this will solve the problem, except to add more problems to make the society deteriorate even further.
What was considered to be a civilized society with civil manners and civility to others have all nothing but vanished. The direction suggested by NRA is really going to turn those societies living with some sanity upside down and making it more confused to comprehend the next steps. Is it that time of Mayan times we were predicting the world going over the cliff to destroy itself from within? Is this the beginning of the end of the world?
What we really need is a common sense control to be initiated on powerful weapons, a healthy network of support systems that not only support but also provides a venue to report and monitor, training and education systems showing how the powerful weapons of today are more dangerous than knifes and other weapons that need physical contact.
While I was distraught when one of the Newtown resident said that if it comes to that we need an armed person, I know in my heart that person was speaking as a well meaning and a concerned parent. We all do that when we are hit with unexpected and unexplainable acts of a single individual , but we need to steer not just ourselves but the society and the country and the world towards a common good than towards an arms race of different kind within the society we live in!
I pray God to shine light upon the next steps that are right!