A common occurrence

It’s happened once again.   A young man, angry at the world or at himself, enters a school and begins shooting.

It’s so common, that police plan for it, the government has a report form for it, the media rapidly responds, and we are left wondering what to do about it.

The first call comes from those who want to ban guns.   Next are the social service agencies, which call for more money for mental health.

Then comes – – nothing.

Those are not the answers.   They’re like taking an aspirin for a backache.   It soon returns.

I don’t have a solution, but I have a suggestion or two.

Schools are “No Gun Zones.”   Those signs are everywhere around school campuses.    That’s why these angry young men pick schools to vent their anger.   They know that – no one on campus has a gun.   They can feel safe.

It’s about time that every school has someone who can shoot and has authority to carry a gun.   I know this runs against the common ideas currently in effect.

But – I can’t help but thinking – if someone had a gun in the school, perhaps the gunman would have killed less victims.

The second thought has to do with the media.  These young men want the attention that comes with their evil act.   The media responds – – and that creates additional young men who want the attention.

Perhaps the media should downplay the shootings by not naming the individual responsible for the act.  And, not running the story over and over and over again until some other heinous act draws their attention away.

These actions won’t stop all angry young men from attempting this act again – – but perhaps it can stop some – and perhaps the death toll won’t be so large.