Response to Mass Shootings

The question of the day is: What is the difference between a democracy and a republic?

One answer is that in a democracy if your side gets 50 percent plus one of the votes, whatever you wanted gets done, even if you take rights away from the losing side. In a republic, you can never take any rights, as listed in the governing documents, away from the law-abiding citizens, but in all issues not based upon those rights, the majority prevails.

What brought this to mind was an interview on the local Monday morning news. I believe I heard the woman being interviewed about the shooting at Umpqua Community College say, “America must do something.” The rest of the segment talked about guns. You may draw your own conclusions about what the message contained in that report.

In a democracy, it is possible to have knee-jerk reaction to a shooting and ban the “bad” gun. In our republic, it is not so easy, as everyone is bound by the constraints of the Constitution and it is the individual who must bear responsibility. 

I hear and read about politicians who want to ban certain guns, ammunition, or simply make it more difficult to own any firearms. Now in this country everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but the second amendment is fairly clear to me. I have a right to own a handgun or a rifle or a shotgun or several of each. What I don’t have a right to do is to harm another person except in defense of myself or others.

A few elected officials or candidates have talked about dealing with the issue of mental health. A few have talked about the dangers of gun-free zones. Most just talk about gun control; which from their statements is simply the reduction or removal of the right of law-abiding citizens to buy and own guns.

Why are we not having a serious discussion on the very real issue of helping those who have a mental illness which may cause them to harm themselves or others? Why does our society refuse to help that tiny part of our population who cannot help themselves? A few more beds in hospitals that are equipped to deal with mental illness might be the first step that allows families and even judges to get these people help. 

Why are we not talking about the risks of gun-free zones? Schools, theaters, and other locations that by law or by choice are designated gun-free zones have been the location of most of the mass shootings over the past few decades. Why would we believe that mentally ill or even worse, the evil individuals who desire to harm others are somehow stupid? The evidence before us shows that most prefer to carry out their horrid deeds where there is the least risk to themselves. As an example, courthouses are normally gun-free zones and yet are the scene of few mass shootings. Is this fact due to the constant presence of armed law enforcement officers?

It is time for America to do something. Insane and evil people are committing hideous crimes and we do nothing to address the problem except talk. Politicians are turning serious issues into political fodder to further their own agenda. 

How will our society deal with those suffering from mental illnesses? The debate on this complex issue must be moved to the front of the line. For the sake of those who suffer from mental illness and their families, we cannot ignore this issue any longer.

Discussions in every community about the risks of gun-free zones must happen. Who carries the liability for protecting people who enter a gun-free zone? Is there a risk or what kind of risk is there for not having a gun-free zone versus the clear risk of having such zones?

It is time for each American to remember that we live in a republic and we must seek answers that don’t undermine the very foundation of our nation. If we can erase the 2^nd amendment with legalize and regulation, what prevents the same from happening to the rest of the Bill of Rights?

Isn’t it time to do something about violence

Yesterday there was a school shooting at Reynolds High School in Oregon.  One student was killed and a teacher was wounded. The shooter apparently then ended their own life.

The outpouring of sympathy and support for the victims and their families is real and is the appropriate response. Yet, within hours politicians, activists, and many citizens were once again blaming guns and calling for “gun control” for the protection of our “children.” We don’t even seem to need to have understanding to jump to conclusions any more. 

What I want to know is why a tiny handful of our young people are engaging in such violent behavior. Is it that we are neglecting their mental health, is society teaching the wrong lessons through violent movies and games, are we creating these crimes through instant fame, or are our youth becoming more isolated.

Over the last 40 years, American society has shifted from institutionalism of those suffering from mental illness to letting those affected fend for themselves. When someone stops taking their medication, they may not be aware that their behavior has changed. This is a real and pressing issue, and I haven’t heard a serious debate on how to address this complex and serious problem. I’ll be the first to say I don’t have the answer, but that shouldn’t stop us from searching.

Is exposure to violent movies, games, and other entertainment causing real life violence? From what I’ve read, it would appear for most the answer is no. It is believable that someone without a firm grasp of reality might engage in violent acts, but that leads us back to the previous point.

Do the media and the internet encourage copycats by the instant fame, or infamy, that an evil or horrific act usually gets? Once again the answer is probably no, except for those affected with certain mental illnesses.

The transition from childhood to being an adult has never been easy. The teenage years are filled with angst, turmoil, and emotions for all of us. Teens can feel alone with new emotions when surrounded by others. Those teenage years can start before age 13 and continue beyond 20 for some. 

All of us understand that being a teenager is dramatic time of change. Most of us who are older had parents and family who understood and gave us stability.  I know that even while occasionally disagreeing with my father, he was always there and was a positive example for me. I wonder how much the disintegration of the family has impacted the youth of America?

In addition, I wonder if this younger generation is really more connected with cell phones, Facebook, email, text messages, Twitter, and more, than my generation. I’ll admit, they have far more information to sort through than my generation ever imagined. Is knowing that Sara is tired this afternoon, or what Jimmy had for lunch really building a valuable friendship? Is this connectivity through technology really more than just knowing trivia about more people?

Positive role models and friends got most of us through those turbulent teen years. I remember people who I wanted to emulate or to just be like in some way. They weren’t celebrities; they were farmers, business people, community-minded people, and family members. I had a lot of friends, some I was very close to and others I hung out with on occasion. 

The lessons that my generation learned were sometimes painful. We learned that if we hurt others feelings, they might not talk to us or they might even chastise us. We learned to stand with our friends even when it was difficult. We learned to admit when we did something wrong. We learned how to be a part of society while not surrendering our individuality. Our generation was not that different from our parents or grandparents experience, though at the time we didn’t see it that way.

In the decades since my teenage years, I have also learned that we never stop growing, making mistakes, and learning. We can make new friends and will experience joy and sadness until the end of our lives. 

Violence, especially by teenagers, needs to be addressed, but not by legislators with laws that make us feel good but actually do little. Our young people don’t need to hear excuses for evil or criminal acts, they want to know that we care about them by what we say and do. 

Our Grange members, as well as the members of a multitude of other organizations, encourage education, perform community service, and offer their friendship in every community in America. We care about both individuals and our community as a whole. We understand that adults are not supposed to protect our teens from the world, we’re supposed to help them become the world.

Our social discourse needs to be focused on searching for practical solutions that help those afflicted with mental illness.  Each member of our community needs to make it a priority to aid young people, especially teens, through those years of transition from being a child to being an adult. That transition is part of the human journey and who better to help than a caring person?

This is an answer to violence that makes sense to me. What do you think?