Comments about ‘Critics say NRA solution to school shootings expensive, unproductive’

We have armed guards in our banks, every federal public facility, TSA agents in our airports (we don’t even want to get into that discussion), and armed security guards in our local Wal-Mart and Target stores. And, we're all OK with that. But, for some "dumb" reason, we just can't bring ourselves to the reality, much less, even reconcile in our minds, that we should provide and insure the same protection to our children and their teachers in our public schools. What am I missing here?

How often do you hear of someone going into any of these public places I’ve mentioned, and without resistance, going on a 10 or 15 minute shooting rampage and killing twenty or thirty people? You don't hear of it, because they know the risk they’d be taking if they did. And they know that killing only one or two people won’t satisfy them. Where else besides a school, can they freely take out twenty-seven people?

Yesterday, I was surprised to find an armed guard at my local IRS office and was told that every Federal facility in the U.S. has at least one armed guard present--how is a guard at school any different? I don't recall any public complaints when this apparently went into effect. Besides, in this economy this would be considered "Job Creation". in addition, if new guns had to be purchased for each new guard, what a great boost to manufacturing and sales this would create.... looks like an economic solution that Obama has been looking for.

The NRA can only suggest solutions that involve escalating the personal arms race. Time to ignore the NRA and move back to sanity.

"What we have here is a failure to communicate." Or at least to comprehend.

People tend to think differently, some are "touchy-feely" types driven by emotional responses. Others are data driven by analyzing facts.

The former see banning guns and promoting hugs as an emotionally satisfying answer. The latter recognize that in the real world that does not work, and has not worked. Instead they look at what has worked, and recommend applying that, even though the NRA solution is anathema to the touchy-feelies.

Far too little attention has been paid to the despicable killers themselves. Most are reported to have had mental health issues. Many are rumored to have been on various medications. Many were recognized as "broken" by family members and those around them. Identifying and either "fixing" or "quarantining" these people BEFORE the harm themselves or others must be a priority.

Are there civil rights issues with that approach? No more than with infringing on the Constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms which recognizes man's inherent right to self defense.

Look to the thinkers for GOOD solutions, and the emotionalists for sound bites, headlines and exactly the WRONG answers.

Arm good guys!

I am a conservative Republican who has spent much of my life on Capitol Hill in Washington. And....I can't stand the NRA.

They are a completely unreasonable organization that uses scare tactics and untruths to whip up their members and threaten Members of Congress. They won't give a fraction of an inch on anything no matter how many cops or other people get killed--including children. They are completely selfish. This latest proposal is just another example of how unreasonable and selfish they are.

I'm a supporter of the second amendment and gun owners should have an organization that advocates for their rights. But, the NRA is not who you want to represent you.

As a staunch social conservative I think the NRA dropped the ball on this one. If they don't bring something meaningful to the table they will be marginalized as a right wing fanatical organization by those on the right such as myself.

When informed and God-fearing citizens return to the dialogue for what ails America, American life will get better. However, if Ms. Martindale thinks that any God-fearing and informed citizen is going to hand over their 2nd Amendment rights to her, the government, or even a politician's 'voice of reason' is ignorant of the meaning of liberty. Would Ms. Martin, or anyone else that is demanding a quick fix to something as horrible as last week's shooting,consider returning God to the classroom as a possible 'fix', or even worthy of discussion? I doubt it. Hence, the futility of any action, including the ban of assault weapons,on future carnage. I teach school. Encouraging more concealed weapons permits for all teachers would do more than all the dialogue the national media slimes upon us. Notice I said 'encouraging', rather than 'compelling', which is what both Republican and Democratic parties and politicians are good at doing. Pick your issue and watch the compulsion ensue! Wake up America! Return to the rule of law, including God's laws, the constitution, and family life, and America has a chance.

The NRA is a cult that preys on the gullible and ignorant.

My personal opinion is that the NRA overreacted a bit. The basic idea is good, but I don't think the Federal government should be involved in education at all; it hasn't worked, it doesn't work, and it never will work. However, individual schools and school districts should allow and encourage teachers to be armed so they can not only teach but also protect their students. You don't need umpteen years of cop duty to be proficient with a firearm. Trying to round up all the weapons and making it so only the thugs who ignore laws anyway are armed is the dumbest idea of all.

There is no answer, people. No matter what path is chosen, extremists on both sides of the debate will find exceptions. This is why the debate will never end and we will never find an acceptable solution.

The thing that I would like all those advocates of a ban on "assault weapons" and high capacity magazines to tell us is just how it would make any difference? The guns already here will be around for 100 years or more. A ban will also engender a huge black market in smuggled arms.

At the same time the murderer could have killed just as many if not more kids with a vehicle or a bomb or incendiary device (which could be made from many commonly available items).

Ultimately a new "assault weapons ban" is nothing more than a feel good measure for the unthinking and I am not about to give up my rights just to make somebody else feel better!

JayTee

You have the best idea of all. It would only take a few weeks to find willing teachers in each school and to train them. As I explained in an earlier post even if gun control worked (which it doesn't) it would take generations before it made any difference!!

Police and armed guards at movie theater in Saint George, Utah, now.
One is also given an assigned seat with that # on one's ticket. One must sit in that assigned seat.
Everyone sat in middle of the theater in one small area. The remainder of the theater remained empty.

1) There was a Federal Assault Weapons ban during Columbine. So it is only a feel good measure that lets a politician look like he's doing something.

2) The NRA is the ONLY organization with a specific idea on how to make sure this doesn't happen again. Someone correct my math if I'm wrong. There are about 100,000 public schools in the United States. If you paid an armed guard $50,000/year to be at the school full time, that equates to about $5 Billion per year. MSN just did a story on the examples of government waste. It totaled $18.9 Billion. Obviously we can afford to arm our schools.

3) Making the NRA a scapegoat for Newtown isn't fair and it won't keep kids safe.

Could someone please tell me what they think an "assault weapon" is? And by the way, I am a retired active duty Army combat arms officer who has been around guns my whole life. In my military mind an "assault weapon" is an automatic weapon where one trigger pull equals many rounds being fired. They are not available to the general public. You can't buy one off the shelf at Walmart, Cabalas, or your local gun store. So what's an "assault weapon"? Any gun that's painted black? It's like saying we need to ban al "indecent material". Nobody can agree what it means. School shootings are more about mental health issues, than they are about new gun laws.

i would first like to point out that this article is a very bad example of professional journalism. it is not covering both sides of the issue at all. Next I would like to point out that pthat the AR 15 was left in the car and the weapons used were average hand guns. the last this g I would like to point outis that cars make pretty awesome killing machines too. we need to make a culture and laws that empower people and teaches responsibility of that power not stifles personal freedoms and pretends to protect people.

i would also like to point out that the liberals have control of most of if not all the high crime spots in the country. strange how that works. The disparity between the rich and poor is also the largest. strange isn't it?

Maybe random patrolling by plain clothes officers would be more cost-effective, with a sign posted to that effect. The would-be intruder would never be sure whether an armed officer was present or who it is. Plus allowing school personnel with concealed carry permits to have their guns on campus.

In a recent shooting in Roy, two women were shot several times by a man with a long history of domestic violence. He had numerous convictions for MISDEMEANORS -- several of which involved violence.

Yet when he ran out of ammo in his handgun, he ran inside and grabbed an assault rifle and perforated the front of his house several times.

He had all the weapons LEGALLY. He had not been convicted of a FELONY. Yet.

Now he will be, and so it might finally be possible to get his arsenal under control.

What is wrong with this picture?

It is hard for me to comprehend the unthinking commitment so many of you have for guns. The Sandy Hook school shooter shot each of these 6 and 7 year old kids several times. He could not have done this horrible act with a limited magazine. Do you think that America is so fraught with crime that everyone should be armed? It is foolish to think that more guns in the hands of more people will stop this carnage. Both Canada and England have less than 100 gun deaths each year. We have over 10,000 each year. Should we ignore the fact that over 10,000 people are killed with a gun in America every year. How can we avoid doing something to stop this horrible American tragedy? Stopping the sale of assault rifles and large magazines will not hurt hunters or anyone with a firearm in their home for protection. Think this through - 20 children each shot several times. Is your fear of crime so great that you can't see the potential benefit in doing something other than saying "Guns don't Kill." Do you want to turn our schools in to armed camps? Please think this through.