All or Nothing
I can’t believe it has been eight months since my last installment. There have been a few reasons for my absence, not the least of which is the fact that there has been little or nothing done by the current administration in terms of reforming and strengthening our Nation’s Educational System. Yes there have been whispers here and there about bolstering the vocational-technical systems however, no finalized budget to speak of. Therefore, rather than constantly rattle on about the lack of action, I have simply chosen to remain absent.
Regrettably, I find myself re-entering the blog o’ sphere not because of any great progress made in education reform. Or is it as a result of any announcement of major programs or strategies regarding the education of our current and future workforce. It is rather, the horrible, cowardly and terrorist acts being carried out on our Nation’s school campuses, most recently, on the campus of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Broward County Florida. Can you believe there have been eighteen “school shootings” or gun related incidents so far in the short seven weeks of 2018? I know I certainly cannot. The Huffington Post framed it like this: “We’re Averaging One School Shooting Every 60 Hours in 2018”. When looking at it from that angle I must ask, has the world gone completely mad? Or to be more specific, has the United States gone mad? We here in the United States seem to be somewhat alone in the world when it comes to gun violence, especially in schools.
In our quest to be number one in all things, this is one category we could have done without. The American addiction to total freedom has finally come back to bite us. There is no doubt that the United States Constitution is the greatest and most revered document written in modern history. It has been the beacon that has guided millions of people toward the hope that the American Experiment had not only promised but has delivered unequivocally. We as citizens of this great country have enjoyed the protection of the Bill of Rights since their enactment in 1791. While there have been many disagreements regarding the Bill of Rights resulting in numerous court cases and legal precedents, there is one in particular that is now in the forefront of public opinion from both sides of the issue. The passions surrounding the Second Amendment, I believe, have come to a boiling point. While most level headed folks, both gun owners and non gun owners, agree that common sense gun reform legislation would be a huge step forward, there are still those staunch Second Amendment advocates that refuse to move on the gun reform issue. It is to these folks and to the politicians that are so indebted to the National Riffle Association that I say, sorry you had your chance.
While I have many friends that are responsible gun owners and some that fall into the category of Second Amendment Zealots, from this day forward I tell you that I no longer care about your rights or your opinions. There is now and can only continue to be focus on the students and staff that are being shot and murdered in what was once the safest places on earth, our schools. These horrible strategies must stop and stop they will! We the American voters are the only hope that our children have. We must elect representatives that truly represent us and not the out of control gun lobby. Elected officials including and most importantly, the President must carry out their oaths to protect the citizenry.
One of the main obstacles we have faced on this issue has been the “all or nothing” approach to gun control. This dangerous propaganda about the abolition of the Second Amendment has been deeply imbedded into a society that is so incredibly in love with their guns. We know this is not true however, those who continue to believe this and continue to subsidize the gun manufacturers through paying their dues to the NRA, must be called out. We as citizens and perhaps parents, brothers, sisters, relatives and friends of those personally touched these tragedies must express to the gun advocates that we no longer care about them. We must continue to fight and keep that fight going now that there appears to be some momentum. Ironically, this momentum is being perpetuated by none other than the children that this latest tragedy has forever scarred.
For nearly 230 years we have all enjoyed the rights (or as I call them) privileges set forth in the Bill of Rights. Unfortunately, we seemed to have abused one of those privileges, the Second Amendment. Just as when your adolescent son or daughter keeps the car out late or travels farther than permitted too many times, we politely ask them to turn over their keys. In our judgment as parents we find that our child may have abused their driving privileges and must be sanctioned for it. So too did we as Americans allow ourselves to abuse our Second Amendment privilege for so long that it has turned itself against us in the form of murdered students and faculty.
It is unconscionable to think that I began blogging in hopes of bringing attention to current trends in education and to offer ideas about how we might improve education for the 21st Century and beyond and now I find myself asking how to keep our children and young adults safe in school. I hope to be able to continue this discussion in support of the current movement by the young people affected by these tragedies. I urge you all to lend your voice and vote to this issue.We must turn the page on our complacency and garner the courage to do something about reasonable gun legislation now. Tell your gun owner friends, like I have, that you no longer care about their argument.
They had their chance and they blew it! Time to relinquish their privilege.
