Gun Control or Just Chicken?

I was laying in bed this morning thinking about, for whatever reason, the problem with school shootings we have in America. I get so angry when these incidences hit the news. One, because of the barbaric, cowardly act in the first place, and two, because the media and politicians are screaming that we need gun control.

The first major incident that I can recall was Columbine High School. It seemed to have started a new fad for cowardly children who have been oppressed and picked on and not given any respect to make a statement to the world. The REAL kicker is that it is societies fault. It's because of the violent video games, the access to parents firearms. It's because of the music the kids listen too. COME ON PEOPLE! Pull your heads out of your backsides! First off, I think a lot of parents are confused over being a "friend" vs a "parent" to their kids. They don't want their kids to hate them or be mad at them. They don't want to hurt their kids feelings. Secondly, THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM IS BROKEN when it comes to juveniles... and adults. If the parents fail at being parents, then the next line of defense should be the courts. What a joke. I have seen time and time again, bleeding heart district attorneys and judges slapping kids on the hand, EVEN for MALICIOUS acts. The reasoning... "We don't want to make the kid into a criminal", or "Oh that's just too harsh a punishment". WHATEVER! These troubled kids know this about our judicial system, so it's a big joke to them, rather than a deterrent.

Back to Columbine as I understand it, and please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, the kids that were responsible for the shootings were "preparing" for the attack in the family garage! WHERE WERE THE PARENTS, and WHY DIDN'T THEY SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON?? I realize that this isn't always the case, where it is or should be so obvious, but that's just one example of when it should have been. If it isn't so obvious, why don't you know what your kids are up to? Why don't you ask questions. "What are you doing"? "What, where, who, why and WHEN". It's called "Being a PARENT". Too bad if your kids don't like it. It's called "LIFE".

In September, 2006, there was a school shooting in southwestern Wisconsin. A student entered the school with a shotgun and a pistol in his waistband. The school janitor spotted the 15 year boy old as he crossed the parking lot, and the janitor, along with a teacher intercepted him. After the 15 year old pointed the shotgun at the teachers face, the janitor grabbed the barrel of the shotgun and DISARMED the boy, who then began digging out the pistol in his waistband. The janitor yelled at the teacher to run, which they did. In the mean time, the school principal showed up, and the boy then shot him numerous times in the head and chest. The principal later died. The media branded the janitor as a "hero". FOR WHAT? Ok. So he disarmed the kid. When he started reaching for that other weapon, why didn't the janitor bust that shotgun over his head? Why didn't he shoot him down? Because he's 15 years old? That's SAD folks. Now the principals three kids are left to grow up without a father! It could have been stopped right then and there. So now this little monster's actions are going to dictate whether or not I can own a gun? THAT'S WRONG!

I played "violent" video games when I was growing up. I had access to countless firearms growing up. I was bullied and beat up in school. I was picked on. I was the nerd. But did I bring guns to school and shoot someone? NO!! Why? Because my parents were PARENTS! They knew what I was up to. They asked questions. LOTS of questions. They showed me respect when I EARNED it, and they tanned my hide when I did wrong! Sure sometimes I hated my dad for it, but I got over it. You know, I even THANK him for it. I stayed out of trouble because of them. They made me a good, moral person BECAUSE THEY WERE PARENTS, people.

Folks, we can not justify blaming society, the violent video game makers, or rock and rap bands. Start taking accountability for your OWN failures and make some changes. Start taking control of what's going on in your household, and stop being afraid to say "NO". You as a parent, are the the BOSS. Not your children.

Ok, so now you say, "I have tried and don't know what else to do. Now what"? That's where the COURTS come in. There should be more emphasis on family training/counseling to teach parents how to be parents when they need help. More emphasis on holding parents accountable to a degree for what their kids do, and if that doesn't work, boot camp style detention centers out in the desert. A tent city for rehabilitation purposes. No more facilities with weight rooms, libraries, education, nice cafeterias, cable T.V., mattresses and pillows, or electricity. "They have that right" you say? NO THEY DON'T! Harsh? YOU BET! Make a prison or jail sentence absolute HELL so they won't WANT to come back.

When I started in law enforcement years ago, I couldn't, as a POLICE OFFICER, buy high capacity magazines for my service pistol because of the Brady Bill. I was the only officer with an odd caliber weapon, so exchanging ammunition in the heat of a shootout was out of the question. That means I sort of looked like Rambo with four extra pistol magazines attached to my duty belt. So what's going to happen when the guns are all taken away? I can see the headlines now. "Children Beaten To Death By Baseball Bat In School", or "Child Stabbed In Neck With Pencil In Study Hall-Dead". Dead is dead, is it not? What next? Take away baseball bats and pencils? Will a "Clinton Bill" cover that one too? RIDICULOUS!

Taking the guns away from you and me is NOT the answer. Getting REALLY tough on would-be criminals IS. Nip it in the rear before we have these problems. If someone kills a person unjustifiably, FRY 'EM! I don't want to spend my hard earned money to keep someone like that alive. It's not fair, and as far as I'm concerned, they don't have any rights! They waived them the momment they are convicted of an illegal act.

So let's all start taking accountability for our own. Start playing a more active role in your child's life. Be a parent, and let's stop the insanity one child at a time!