So this morning I am greeted on my local politics threads and radio with the unfortunate news that Arizona must cut 67 million from its budget next year. This is a necessary measure be try to get towards our goal of a balanced budget every year.
This news was sandwiched between two stories that I felt complimented each other nicely.
The first was how we’re going to save a bunch of that money – we’re going to pull 22% from our libraries. Essentially, we’re looking at closing all of our public libraries on Mondays and dropping the budgeted items for new books. Those pesky books probably contain liberal-leaning hogwash anyway, so no big worry. Books in general are just a real sore thumb around here, and are probably single most horrible offender in us losing our proud status as 50th worse in the nation in education – we are now 49th. Damn. And we worked so hard for that. But I digress.
The other story was how we are going to have to spend just a titch more of your beloved tax dollar because campus police on ASU will now be equipped with riot gear and assault rifles. Yes, you read that right – the campus police will now have semi-automatic assault rifles much akin to what is being used in Iraq today. Well, we are in the desert, so I guess that was one of the few remaining items we needed to implement to make the façade complete.
In other news, our AZ congress recently passed a bill that was hotly contested along partisan lines. The bill essentially allowed all children in all schools to carry guns. I know you’re not going to believe this, but one Republican congressman actually said that there are “kindergartners that are sitting ducks without the means to protect themselves.” The arch rivals to these benevolent protectors of the people, the Democrats, managed to get the bill amended in heated debate so that K-12 children are not allowed to carry weapons, but college kids can. Now call me silly, but in a world where a change in your depression meds can make you go on a killing spree, is it really a good idea to put more guns in school?
Perhaps I’m just a worry wart. Have a nice day!
Hmm… less books and more guns. It is complimentary. But then what will kids do with all of those clear bags that the schools have made them buy so they can’t smuggle guns in? Will they be reimbursed for them? Will there be a gun-checking station? I remember getting in trouble for bringing a cassette player to school back in the 80s. Weird stuff.
roflmao:
The baggies can be used to throw up in when you’re scared, or alternately as fun practical joke implements for simulating suffocation among your friends.
I’d imagine that the kids can keep the guns hidden so that their psychotic classmates won’t know that they are armed.
I dunno. Gun control is one issue where we’d probably disagree Perk (one of the very few, I’m sure). I really do believe in an armed citizenry. Now, I want true peace as you know, but I think that removing the stigma of “if you have a gun you’re up to no good” and such is a good thing. An armed citizenry is a polite citizenry, and all that. Also I think it’s a bad idea for the government to have the majority of the firearms. A few armed college kids (properly schooled in shooting) would have put a quick end to that whole incident only a short time ago. That’s my opinion anyway – most of the time these kids who bring guns to school are poorly trained and would be easily dealt with by anyone who’d had even a cursory shooting education. I know I was taught to shoot from a young age, and I hope if I ever have progeny that I can afford them the same privilege.
That said, I understand and completely agree that there are people who just shouldn’t have guns and places you just shouldn’t be allowed to take them. In light of some of the recent (and not so recent) school violence, I don’t think schools fall into that category. I think that you tighten security measures around places like schools, and you are guaranteeing that, should something awful happen, the *only* armed individual will be the one who cleverly snuck in a firearm with malicious intent. How many kids do you think would go shooting up a school if they knew their teachers could be armed?
“How many kids do you think would go shooting up a school if they knew their teachers could be armed?”
VS I’m afraid that this argument does not hold water. The problem is not with rational kids that think they can get away with killing people unimpeded – it is kids that have gone someplace that I cannot comprehend and have easy access to weapons.
The most recent school shooting was a guy that was, for all intents and purposes, normal and happy. His drugs either failed him or turned on him, and because he had easy access to guns he was able to pull off a shooting spree.
Another problem to me is the notion that me having a gun (the collective “me”) is in someway a deterrent to my government implementing a hostile takeover of my rights. First, what kind of weaponry do I need to actually effect change and second, do you not thing that the takeover has already occurred – it was digital, silent and utter? The most important aspect of control has been implemented – we are a dumb populace that believes our government. Or at least enough do for those in power to execute what they want.
If this was 100 years ago I’d be 100% in agreement with you. But today, the populace, the weaponry, the pharma and the clustering of society make for a very different and potent brew than what we had so long ago. I don’t believe that more guns are an answer – that will only exacerbate the problem.
Well, I agree arming all our kids isn’t the answer. I know many inner-city schools have armed police officers on campus during school hours, which I think is a step in the right direction. I hate seeing the lengths that all public places go to in the name of “public safety” though. Really egregious breaches of privacy, some of them. Have you seen the new “T-Ray” scanners that can look through your clothing for weapons and such? I wouldn’t want my teenage daughter to have to go through one of them every day, regardless of the minute chance that might exist for trouble. It’s the same argument with airports and terrorism. A modicum and a reasonable measure of prevention, sure. I don’t see a need for extremes, in any case.
AMEN!!
FINALLY a Voice of Reason in this din!
I have a 9mm handgun, and I have taken the proper training. I have only used my handgun for range practice thus far, but I feel a LOT better knowing I have it to protect my family from intruders.
All any “gun control” law is going to do is leave me utterly defenseless when the gang-bangers try to take over our streets.
Wow, I too agree with Vsloathe! This is amazing!
Maybe there’s hope yet!
It’s all about being on the correct side of an issue instead of being beholdened to one side’s complete ideology.