Another crisis, another political football

Not to Waste Another Crisis

By Ramblin’ Rose

Following yet another mass shooting, the blame game flourishes. Leftists blame the guns; patriots point to the shooter.

Outspoken American radio host, author, activist, and conservative political candidate Wayne Allyn Root penned an article that contains his views and reflects those of many others—usually not presented by media pundits but shared in private conversations. Both sides agree that mass shootings are a tragedy.

Here’s a summarization of his points about our deeply divided nation while adding my comments and questions.

1. “Gun Free Zones” invite madmen to walk in and start shooting. How many of these shootings have occurred in churches, schools, movie theaters and supermarkets located in “gun free zones?” The shooters may be deranged and mentally it, but they are not stupid.
2. How often does a “good guy” with or without a firearm step in and neutralize the assailant? Reportedly, an off-duty border patrol officer used his barber’s shotgun in Uvalde, TX, to rescue his child. In CA, a pastor tackled the attacker, an act that allowed parishioners to tie him up with an extension cord. Other examples could be supplied in other similar hate-filled attacks on innocent people. 
3. Are schools secure? Are there multiple doors for entry? Are there armed guards to detour attackers? Multiple online sites debunk the effectiveness of armed security guards. If they do not prevent attacks, why do politicians (at state and federal levels—minimum) have armed details? (A security detail assigned to then-Majority Whip Steve Scalise literally saved Scalise’s life and his fellow legislators. Without that detail, there would’ve been 7-10 dead GOP legislators.)
4. Some school districts have already passed policies to arm and train teachers who could then defend the students in their care? There is no perfect solution in a deranged world, but, at least, efforts should be implemented to better protect innocent life.
5. Cost is a legitimate concern. Many, even in Washington, D. C., question the $40 billion sent to defend life in Ukraine and deny even half that sum to protect our children, a proposal offered by some elected officials in the federal government.
6. Others, also in Congress, have suggested that half that sum should have been used to secure the southern border. More innocent lives are lost to the drugs trafficked through that uncompleted wall, to the human traffickers, including child sex traffickers, to the unvetted terrorists and gang members allowed to enter our country unfettered. Why do our politicians provide for other countries and not secure our own?
7. To enact gun control has not stopped violence or death. Just consider cities like Chicago, Detroit, Baltimore, New York, and Los Angeles with the constant shootings where there are abundant gun control laws. The innocent are defenseless while the criminals obtain guns and are not controlled in these cities under the Democrats’ leadership.
8. Instead of enacting more gun laws, maybe we should enforce the laws that we already have. That means that criminals would not be allowed through revolving doors to again commit more heinous crimes. Democrat District Attorneys often allow repeat offenders back on the streets without incarceration.
9. Many claim that the death penalty is cruel punishment. But would it be justified as a deterrent to more mass shootings if the killer, apprehended in the commission of the crime, were publicly executed shortly after the commission of the crime? Often, the media shares their name, photo, and story to make them the victim of society and justify their act. Who is the victim? Should not it be the innocent ones who are killed? We need reasoned consequences for these atrocious acts of violence.
10. The majority of the mass killers in recent history took prescribed drugs for depression, anger, and mental illness. Does not Big Pharma share the guilt for developing drugs whose side effects induce suicidal and violent thoughts that manifest themselves in violent actions?
11. Maybe it’s time to chant, “Defend the Police” instead of the mantra from the leftists to “Defund the Police,” a proclamation from many who have taxpayer-funded security details.
12. It appears that the police were not adequately prepared to meet the situation in Uvalde as it developed. Instead of hiring more politically correct counselors, maybe the schools needed more, or at least, better trained and better equipped law enforcement. One suggestion is to employ unemployed veterans in the schools.
13. The media already report more legal sales of firearms and ammunition in the last few days. It’s sad that citizens feel the need to be able to defend their own families and communities.
14. With more than 422 million background checks in this country since 1998, citizens do not intend to be unarmed. If those are the numbers for legal purchases, how many firearms are in the hands of criminals?

Maybe it’s time to work together to find a solution instead of continuing a divisive debate that solves nothing and only intensifies anger and fear.

We have another crisis that begs our attention. We don’t need to make it another political football.

While these comments are not the end all answers, they are alternatives to the cries from the media.