After countless arguments, social media trolling from people saying whatever comes to mind, it is a time we as Americans to begin a real discussion on how to stop the next school shooting from happening.
In 2017, Americans owned 300,000,000+ guns in their hands, 15,549 deaths happened that year. This is actually half the number of people that died of automotive deaths even though there are less cars in existence than guns. About 253,000,000 cars were in existence in 2017, and the auto deaths count was 41,000.
That being said, Americans are still divided on gun control, and there are genuinely good people on both sides of the issue. Pro-gun people believe that owning a gun ensures the safety of their families and serves as a threat to the government from becoming too tyrannical. Anti-gun people, on the other hand, believe that the existence of a gun is a danger to every American. But we must note that both sides desire safety in general.
A few days ago, we decided to use our research abilities and search for all possible solution that could be acceptable to both sides of the discussion. Here is a list of few simple steps that can be implemented across our country in no time, and should result in eliminating school shootings. This list can be a starting point where good-willing Americans can come together and make a real difference to our country.
1. Metal Detectors In Every School in America: Our courts, airports, government buildings, conventions, sports stadiums, and plenty of other public gatherings demand metal detectors on their access points. Why do the largest schools in America (Stoneman Douglas is one of them with over 3,000 students) don’t have access points controlled through a metal detector daily?
2. Reinforce Windows, Doors, Locks, Busses: Though few of these were installed and still did not stop the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooter in Newtown, Connecticut, they were able to stop some of the carnage. At the Stoneman Douglas high school shooting, the attacker tried to shoot victims outside the building, but was unable to because of the reinforced glass windows. That piece of glass saved many lives that day.
3. Enforce Everything: Usually, people calling for more laws regarding firearms do not realize just how many laws already exist. With a simple enforcement of the existing laws we could cut down the numbers of people that own and utilize guns. This is particularly important in the area of those suffering from mental health issues. We must begin enforcing our laws, and we must do it like our children’s lives depend on it.
4. Regular Performing of Active Shooter Drills: In many schools through America earthquake drills are performed even though no children have died from an earthquake in years, still, the drills go forward. ‘Sequester and Hide’ (and then get your cell phone out and begin ‘facebook-LIVE-ing’) can be replaced with ‘Barricade, Attack, & Survive.’ Young students should be aware of how fast they can move their desks to protect themselves against a shooter. This should be practiced at the minimum in comparison to earthquake drills.
5. Recruit Retired Military & Law Enforcement: We have a surprising number of people who are qualified as experts in public safety who also live in our communities. These are our neighbors and friends who already have received weapons training and certification. Most of these people (unless they become criminals) are already allowed to possess, own, and carry firearms. If we have them to operate the access points at all schools, check every backpack and bag carried onto the premises, and engage in every threat, be it a firearm, a pocket knife or something else similar – would not only make it a safer school campus but also a more rule-following, law-abiding one.
6. Arm All Appropriate Personnel: Giving teachers, administrators, and coaches (only the ones who wish to) the right to protect themselves on campus is a backstop to all other methods. There would be no threat at all if only 5-10% of staff were also armed, properly trained, and certified. Coaches and teachers instead of sacrificing their lives by taking a bullet for their students would be ready to confront any threat that made it to their area of the campus.
7. Publicize Consequence: The mere knowledge of this list of obstacles to any attacker may not completely dissuade them. But since it was readily apparent that this list of steps would have actually saved some if not all of the lives in Florida this week, one thing can be easily understood. If any individual decides to try to do something under these guidelines, he runs a much larger threat of being caught, captured, and killed if he tries it. So talk about it openly. Do the drills, teach the kids to fight when their lives are endangered, tell the attackers in advance that if they choose to attack a school it is open war on them, and they have no chance at all.
After putting some of these steps into practice, Israel has almost zero school attacks. None of the steps on this list infringe upon law-abiding people’s Second Amendment rights and all of them would make an immediate impact on every school district that adopts them.
There is no common sense American that can deny their effectiveness. Our children are worth it!