We have just learned today that Scott Peterson was not alone. Four other deputies also did not enter the building during the tragic shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. It simply underscores the fact that we must restrict military weapons from getting into the hands of civilians.
The NRA supporters are Criticizing these men for “hiding” outside while the shooter, nineteen year old Nicholas Cruz, was inside the school killing children and staff.
Our police officers are armed and trained for domestic, civilian exigencies and circumstances. They are not armed, equipped or trained for mortal military-style battle against a perpetrator wielding a military assault weapon capable of “burping off” thirty rounds a minute. The elephant is the room the NRA would like us to ignore is that the AR15 (Nicolas Cruz’s weapon) is essentialy the same gun as the M16...the weapon our government issues to the Marines, US Army, and our corps of elite fighters.
Our police forces are mightily outgunned with their six and nine shooter hand guns.
The idea that a lightly armed police officer, the “ good guy with a gun” touted by the NRA is what we need to protect our children from armed madmen at school is disengenuous. The facts are clear...these experienced police officers knew they were insufficiently armed or equipped to take on Cruz. From outside they could hear his near automatic rate of fire. They knew the type of weapon they would face. The idea of a “good guy with a gun” has been proved to be a red herring. The instance of police hesitancy at MSD high proves it to be unworkable. The other proposal of arming teachers or other staff for this purpose is in the same unworkable category. So far, we now know that five experienced police officers would not enter the building when they were likely to face a madman with an AR15 assault rifle. Would a lightly armed teacher do better?
Unless we are ready to station battle ready troops at each and every high school and change the very nature of our society—-we are very likely to see this kind of shooting repeat itself. Our children require a safe and secure environment for learning. We must all act to make that a possibility for them. So far no one has come up to the plate. The pablum the President and others are offering will not solve our nation’s ridiculous inability to control access to dangerous weapons.
The solution to safe schools is to strictly limit access to murderous assault weapons. They have a place and a purpose, but that place is a theater of war.
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