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Preventing Future Tragedies

By tj

Sadly, school shootings appear to have become a regular part of our society.

Beginning with Columbine (to my recollection at least, though it probably wasn't the first), there have been a number of successful and unsuccessful attempts by mentally ill individuals to end their lives while taking a number of others with them. I can't help but feel that the media attention given to these atrocities only perpetuates their future existence, but I'll put that matter aside.

Today I read this CNN article about Utah being the only state in the union to allow students and professors to carry concealed weapons to class. It could largely be summed up by this one Utah gun-carrying student quote:

"Last year, after Virginia Tech, I thought 'I'm not going to be a victim,' " Nick said.

"My first thought was 'how tragic.' But then I couldn't help but think it could've been different if they'd allowed the students the right to protect themselves."

I want to make this clear: I'm not advocating for the Utah approach. Rather, I'm only bringing attention to this issue to hopefully spark a reasoned debate.

We're a very large school in a very large urban area known for very big gun and mental health problems. We're the school of Tarasoff and Trustifarian. Our local watering holes are riddled with gun violence, as most recently seen here.

What's the answer? Arming our "community service officers"? Restricting entrances to only those with metal detectors? Nothing's jumping out at me as the right answer. How about you?

[Ed. notes: (1) don't pull your own "Trustifarian" here, it's not funny; and (2) don't post anything with people's names or revealing information.]

Full post as published by Nuts & Boalts on February 21, 2008 (boomark / email).