Save The Children

Save The Children

This may be the hardest blog I've ever written. The reason is, It's very, very complicated and I don't know what's the exact course of action. One thing I do know, going to school is not like it used to be.

When I was going to school my only fear was that a bully might punch me in the nose. Today, any one of my classmates might kill me and others - WOW! Sooo, what is the difference?

When I Was A Kid;

*  A really bad kid might bring a knife to school

*  Bullies hanged out in packs and picked on anyone different than them. They used words to intimidate other kids. If the kid shouted back, the pack would beat him up.

*  Teachers actually cared about helping their kids to get ahead. They even tried to straighten out a bad kid.

*  Teachers were allowed to smack (sometimes with a ruler) a kid if they misbehaved

*  Parents (especially the wife) were very involved in their kids' lives. Parents wanted to know who their child was hanging out with. Parents had rules. Parents could punish (sometimes with a WACK) their kids. Getting sent home by a teacher or worse getting suspended by the Principal would bring the wrath of the father who would straighten him or her out.

*  Having a bad kid was a blemish on the whole family

*  Only a very small minority of kids did drugs and alcohol

*  Being mentally ill meant you were stupid but not necessary violent.


The Situation Today;

*  Bad kids come to school with guns and/or assault weapons.

*  Bullies still roam in packs, however, their method of intimidation is threatening your life

*  Teachers cannot hit a kid for any reason and can lose their job if they even threaten to flunk the kid for being bad. Teachers know bad kids may have a gun or knife and won't try to straighten a kid out because they fear for their lives.

*  Parents are now working two jobs. They either don't have the time or the inclination to get involved in their kids' lives. If called in to school by the teacher or Principal, many parents today defend their kids because they don't want to consider their kid might be bad to the bone.

* The kids today run in gangs not packs. These gangs ARE terrorists. 

*  More than half of the kids today have either tried or often use drugs and alcohol.

*  Too many parents don't want to consider their kids are mentally ill even if all the tell-tale signs make it clear they are having major problems.


Here is where I have a problem with what I'm about to write. WHAT TO DO ABOUT SCHOOL KIDS GETTING KILLED?

Some suggest we should put armed security in the school. Some suggest that we should arm teachers. They believe more guns in school will do the trick. My concern with that is many fold. First the shooter will kill the guard and the teacher first if they know they are armed. Second, scared guards and teachers might wind up shooting innocent kids while trying to kill the shooter.

Some suggest that we change the gun law so that anyone under 20 can't buy a gun or especially an assault weapon. The NRA will have a big problem with that, but, I want to believe that someday they will cave under political pressure and agree to an assault weapon ban for anyone under 20. Shit, it's illegal to buy booze until you're 21 why let a 18 year old buy an assault weapon?

Some suggest we declare war on the gangs. Sounds great, but will that just create more violent gangs?

Some suggest that the mentally ill should not be able to buy a gun - DAH!!!!!! To do so someone has to define mentally ill when it comes to getting a gun. Do we want someone to say "this person is mentally ill and we should make him or her get physiological help to determine if they are OK to get a gun or even be put away before he or she kills somebody? Now there is the definition of the preverbal "slippery slope."

Someone who hates you tells the authorities you are mentally ill and might shoot up a school. They do so just to get you in trouble. The police or FBI come in and take you away and make you see a physiatrist who determines your fate. WOW, can you spell "THE BILL OF RIGHTS."

This is why I'm frustrated. I don't know the right answer to stopping our kids from getting killed. Something has to be done and people a lot smarter than I need to figure it out. My only (unpopular to some) suggestion is:

Let The Public Have The List Of Every Politician Who Takes Money From The NRA. The Old Saying: If You Want To Fix Something - Follow The Money