A school shooting that left a teacher in Nevada dead last week brings the number of such shootings in the United States to 17 since last December’s tragedy in Newtown, Conn. Also last week, a Washington state boy was arrested after he brought a gun and 400 rounds of ammunition to his middle school.
As Americans reflect on these horrifying events, we should also consider how preventable they were. In fact, many of the school shootings this year and in the past could have been prevented with just common-sense safety measures in the home – no new legislation or rules needed.
The gun used in the shooting in Sparks, Nevada – which left the teacher and the shooter, his 12-year-old student, dead and two classmates seriously wounded – was a Ruger 9mm semi-automatic handgun that was apparently taken by the child from his home. While it isn’t yet known exactly how he gained access to this dangerous weapon, it is highly likely that serious safety measures were not put in place by the parents, allowing an immature mind to once again wield terrible power.
In the last year, this devastating scenario has played out again and again. School shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Red Lake High School in Red Lake, Minn., in 2005, and Heath High School inWest Paducah, Ky., in 1997 also involved legal guns taken from the home, used by young people who clearly should not have been able to carry them to school as easily as they would a packed lunch. Sadly, it is perhaps more surprising that these incidents don’t occur more regularly. A 2005 study on firearm access in America showed that 1.69 million children under the age of 18 lived in homes with loaded and unlocked firearms.
Yeah, no new laws would be required if only the lawful owners of guns would lock them up. But, guess what? That ain't gonna happen any time soon. Why? Because too many gun owners are either too stupid or too uncaring to do so.
The solution: mandatory safe storage of firearms in the home. Gun owners need to be legally constrained to do what's right.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
You demand a lot, but fortunately, we're not going to do what you say. You'd sound better if you were constrained from saying nonsense, but you have the right to express yourself.
ReplyDeleteKeeping guns safely locked up is nonsense? No wonder we have a problem. That kind of irrationality creates the problem.
ReplyDeleteIt's not locking up guns that is nonsense. It's the idea that doing so should be mandated by law that is rubbish.
DeleteThe facts show to many guns end up in hands they should not. Unsafely stored. It is the fault of the gun owner. If people won't do the safe, correct thing, then a law must set, to force them.
DeleteThe facts may show a particular number of guns stolen. You are interpreting that as being to [sic] many. You are simply wrong about who is at fault.
DeleteThe gun owner is at fault. Who do you blame?
DeleteThe thief, the person who bears the sole legal and moral responsibility for stealing.
DeleteThe gun owner is responsible to make sure his gun is safely stored. I understand you deny a gun owner is responsible for the safe storage of his gun. I have read your comments.
DeleteThat may be your belief, but in the sane states in this country, it's not the law. But blaming the victim is so much easier than going after the real criminals.
DeleteThe victim was negligent, or a gun accident, or theft will not happen. Lesson learned, hopefully.
Delete"The thief, the person who bears the sole legal and moral responsibility for stealing."
DeleteYes, and the idiot gun owner who left the gun accessible to the thief bears the sole legal and moral responsibility for that. They're two different crimes, or at least they should be.