“If only . . .”

 

If only our nation and the rest of the world were not so seemingly overwhelmed with tragedy overload, then just possibly the recent March 27, 2023 mass murder of three young students and three adults at a Nashville, Tennessee school would not so soon be smothered away by other distractions. 

Just has been in sad degree the less than a year ago horrific massacre carried out on May 24, 2022 at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, where nineteen students and two teachers lost their lives.

 And, if only we could today purge the world of all evil, then these herein noted could be the last in the heretofore seemingly endless series of such unthinkable atrocities.

However, should we find the elimination of all evil not timely doable, our nation’s school children could nevertheless be readily secured from the threat of mass murder—that is, if only we so-called adults in the room would provide our educational institutions with commonsense security against such threats.

Yes, commonsense security that, for example, acknowledges and responsibly deals with the fact that “Gun-Free Zones” are but irresponsible “magnets” for attacks by evil-doers, and that those committed to carrying out such atrocities could not care less about laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, signage, and other shalt-nots.

Commonsense security that also accepts the ever-so-likely existence of “good reason” why few if any among us choose to protect/secure our personal residences with “Gun-Free Zone” signs displayed in our front lawns and/or posted on or at our doorways, etc.

Commonsense security that in turn finds it a bit difficult to responsibly rationalize why “Gun-Free Zone” signage remains an acceptable security measure for school students and teaching staffs, etc., — but not, for example, for Kansas Supreme Court personnel when conducting their special session at our Parsons High School on Monday evening, October 3, 2022.  A session that included the very visible and plentiful “commonsense security” of armed law enforcement personnel; contraband screening procedures; etc.

Commonsense security that would also give serious and duly responsible consideration to following the successful lead of various other schools protected by one or more "voluntarily armed" and "properly trained" personnel (e.g., from teachers and/or other staff, and/or volunteers from duly vetted retirees from our military and/or law enforcement services, etc.).

Yes, if only we were willing to replace that historically demonstrated failure and proven invitation to life destroying evil-doers—the signage-declared “Gun-Free Zone”—with rational and realistic security against mass murder.   And if only we were to do so with the same unity of purpose, unlimited attention, and sense of priority that we so routinely extend to the many other extremely less crucial education system needs.

                                           —William James Moore   04/16/2023

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Please Note:  The above was also published as a Public Mind article on Page 4 of the Weekend, Saturday-Sunday, May 6-7, 2023, edition of our local newspaper, the Parsons Sun . . . [Re: Scanned copy via link inserted below; and scanned copy of related 'Letter of  Appreciation' to the Parsons Sun, also via link inserted below].

Public Mind Article titled, "If only . . ."

"Letter of Appreciation" to the Parsons Sun -  05/07/2023