As each person passed through the door at Walmart, they then passed through a metal detector. On school yards, each day people entered the school, they also went through a metal detector.
It was 2025, and America had arrived at this point. It was a long-spent day from when Stephen Paddock, perched 34 floors up in a hotel, showered bullets down on a country music festival, killing 58 before taking his own life. Twenty-three guns were found in his hotel suite, leaving many wondering why there had been no security to spot him bringing so many weapons into his room.
That stark day had been followed by others. More school shootings. More attacks in malls. One shooting targeted a line at an election location. "Who is for Bobby McGivens?" The shooter shouted, before mowing down everyone in the line.
And, so it came to this: metal detectors popping up at public places throughout the country. People became used to them, not thinking it such a great inconvenience to pass through them everywhere they went.
Note: Though I write this in story form, the point is that we should consider such widespread use of metal detectors. Instead of going through mass murder after mass murder and doing nothing about it, at some juncture we need to consider what can be done, and do something. And, if this is something we should do, we shouldn't wait until 2025.
Perhaps, after giving it thought, we would decide against such checkpoints. I only say we should consider them. It would be good if there were public debate on this at this time.
I should also note that everyone going through a gun checkpoint would not be required to surrender their gun. But, the check would reveal that guns were on the property, and security officers could tail that person as he (or she) was in the building.
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