Another school shooting, multiple fatalities

[Alan]

May I add a query to WS's question. By Alan's post I understand that it is recognized that the employer is deciding rights and privileges of its employees that impact the common good. Has industry then been assigned decision=making governing the common good or should it be'government by the people for the people'? BTW, I am not specifying any level of gov't - municipal, state or federal.

By the response of the companies who are withdrawing their support of the NRA, is there an indication that industry is making the decision and advising the NRA to go back to its roots of concern for the common good of responsible oversight of gun use?

It's not that an employer is deciding rights and privileges, it's more an expectation that their rights and privileges take precedence on their property, much like if you invite a visitor into your home but advise them that you don't allow smoking inside your residence, leaving them free to either respect your rules or not visit.

I think the companies severing their ties with the NRA are simply capitalizing on the media's fairly successful demonization of that institution. As a nation we seem to have moved past the stage where protecting individual rights while promoting safety are considered admirable attributes.

[Williamsmith]

Alan, are you saying that school districts should be able to establish a right and privilege to have an armed presence in their buildings filled by the employees of the district if that’s what they want? If so, then parents not in favor of that should be able to chose a district that does not have an armed militia doubling as teachers. Isn’t there a problem with comparing school property to business property? Taxpayers are not free to withhold their investment in schools. If a person doesn’t like a businesses activities, they can take their business elsewhere or cash out their investment or terminate their relationship.

[Zoe Girl]

Bullet proof body blanket for elementary school children. I’m not kidding. What?

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nati...icle-1.1823308

Forget school supplies, get your kids a bullet proof vest.

It would be nice if we had enough money to pay for all the school supplies and good wages for teachers, I really don't understand how we have districts going to 4 day weeks and teachers having second jobs but we are interested in bullet proof vests and blankets. Do people just not have any idea that schools struggle?

[Williamsmith]

The ugly side of capitalism is that one should never let pass an opportunity to use fear to gin up sales. Imagine you are sending your kid off to school. “Don’t forget you lunch, Mary. And your homework. Oh yeah....your bullet proof blanket!”

[Tybee]

That's where we would be homeschooling. We did it before when school got unbearable for one of my kids. Bullet proof blanket--unbearable.

[LDAHL]

I'm curious if there are any statistics on the proportion of these incidents occurring at private vs. public schools. I could be wrong, but I can't recall of any recent mass shootings at non-public institutions. If that is the case, is there some cultural or structural reason for it? Are parents more willing to make the financial sacrifice involved also watching their kids more closely? Do they recruit a different type of staff? Do they simply exclude the more psychologically damaged students? Are there religious or philosophical values being transmitted that mitigate against such incidents? Are private school families less likely to have easy access to firearms?

People make the choice to send their children to private schools for diverse reasons, but if there are differences that help mitigate against these violent acts, perhaps they could be studied and replicated.

[Zoe Girl]

LDAHL, the research on gun violence was banned many years ago. One of the petitions I signed was to change that law. I don't even know what to say about the current law, we have many ideas and we keep passing them around however without some attempt at research I am not sure what we can do except 'thoughts and prayers'. So you could be in trouble for trying to find out.

Just WTF!!

[LDAHL]

LDAHL, the research on gun violence was banned many years ago. One of the petitions I signed was to change that law. I don't even know what to say about the current law, we have many ideas and we keep passing them around however without some attempt at research I am not sure what we can do except 'thoughts and prayers'. So you could be in trouble for trying to find out.

Just WTF!!

Research isn’t “banned”. The feds aren’t funding it. You won’t “be in trouble” for conducting studies funded by other sources. The FBI won’t swoop down on you for researching why there are fewer massacres at Saint Addlepate’s Parish School or Privilege Preparatory Academy.

[Zoe Girl]

So maybe you won't be swooped in on, however the Dickey amendment is still current

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dickey_Amendment_(1996)

[LDAHL]

So maybe you won't be swooped in on, however the Dickey amendment is still current

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dickey_Amendment_(1996)

Congress not providing CDC with money to research guns is a far cry from "banning research". Not everything needs to happen by government fiat.