Monday, December 17, 2012


Guns are not the answer

   Today, a guest blog from my sister Susan. Thanks for the good thoughts on the matter, Susan. Her blog:

   Whenever there is a shooting that results in the death of several souls, the gun control debate is aired. There are those who argue for more gun control and those who suggest we liberalize the current laws on bearing arms. One of my friends from high school posted a question on Facebook that maybe we arm the principals and teachers with guns along with giving them training. While it is a good question, I am not convinced it would have made a difference in the Sandy Hook School shooting. Would lives been spared or would the carnage been worse?
   When the shooting occurred in Aurora CO this summer, a man suggested that if people were allowed to carry concealed weapons, the attacker would have been dealt with. I thought the carnage would have been worse. What if Joe Citizen had missed the shooter (who mostly would have been a moving target) and shot another innocent person? Joe Citizen hasn't received the training that a police or law enforcement officer has. When the shootings at Trolley Square in Salt Lake City happen years ago, an off duty police officer happened to dining there. He knew what he was doing when he took action; he had the training and was able to stop further carnage that evening. The officer probably accessed the situation before he shot the young man who was killing others. 
   A few days after the shooting in Aurora CO, a former Utahan reported that her boyfriend had saved her life. He had been either a former or current member of the armed forces. He might have been a military police officer. His first thought had not been to go after the shooter, but to protect his girlfriend. He covered her body as he took a bullet that ended his life. I am thinking that is what school officials would do the same if confronted by a crazed person with a gun. Their first thoughts would be to protect the students that are trusted in their care.
   When I read Ether 15:15-17 in the Book of Mormon and Doctrinal Commentary by Robert l. Millet, Brent L. Top & Joseph Fielding McConkie on December 14th, I was struck by the words. The residents of this ancient nation were engaged in a civil war that brought their ultimate destruction. Every man, woman and child was armed with weapons of destruction. Even mothers who were nursing. Bearing arms did not save their lives. It was their selfish mean spirited attitudes that brought their extinction. 
   I believe there is a deeper issue involved when shootings in public places occur. When the Colombine shootings happened, Jodee Blanco saw past the gun control issues and thought of the issue of bullying. She suspected the young men who committed the crimes had been bullied and she decided to write a book (Please Stop Laughing At Me) about her experiences of being bullied while growing up. She had the hope that her book would put a dent in school violence.
   In the shooting that occurred in Newtown CT, mental illness has been brought up. The 20 year old in Newtown was known to have had a personality disorder. I have an older brother who owns guns and has an undiagnosed mental illness. He carries his gun (or guns) in his pocket at all times. For years, I dreaded going home because I didn't know if I would be greeted by a gun. When any of my siblings or I visit, we must first call ahead to let him know we are coming. I've been ask why we didn't have him committed and I am sure the slain mother of the 20 year old shooter was asked the same question. It isn't that simple to commit a person who suffers from mental illness. For one they are adults and have rights. One usually can not commit a mentally ill person without their consent.
   Stricter laws may help curb the violence. Gun advocates reason that the laws don't stop criminals obtaining guns and they are right. But could a waiting period prevent a senior citizen from sticking a gun to her head? Could a thorough background check give a gun shop owner time to warn law enforcement of possible threat? Does the J.Q. Public really need an AK-47?
One can argue the gun control issue until the cows come home. But in the end, shootings will continue. What we need to ask is what we can do to prepare and possibly prevent public shootings. Because when it gets down to it, it is people killing people and that is where the issues lie. What is causing mass killings? It isn't the weapons. 

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