Time for a Saturday afternoon rant.

Time for a Saturday afternoon rant.

People are shouting for something to be done about mass shootings in schools. I am too. Somebody’s gotta do something! It’s a natural emotional reaction borne of frustration, heartbreak, and anger. Somebody’s gotta do something. But I don’t hear many people actually coming up with anything that’s going to matter, anything that’s going to make a difference that’s grounded in something even close to reality.

Ban guns? Repeal the 2nd amendment? Really? The population of the United States is more than 320,000,000, and there are over 300,000,000 guns. Probably 98% of them are owned by law abiding citizens who are never going to shoot anyone, except in self defense maybe. Probably 2 % are in the hands of criminals, gangs, and other miscreants, some of whom might harbor dreams of shooting school children, and a few who will actually do it. Or at least try.

So what to do? Schools are one of the few places that are totally unprotected. There are even signs posted that they are 'gun free zones'. That means they are free fire zones.and it's safe to show up and start shooting.

Well, my solution would be to have metal detectors and armed guards at all school entrances. The guards could be retired and off duty police officers, and retired military veterans who would do it for free. I would volunteer! The only real expense would be the cost of the metal detectors.

So set budget priorities. What should take priority over the lives of school children?

Would that prevent all mass shooting? Maybe not, but I bet it would stop 99% of them. Keep the federal government out of it though, that's the surest way to screw things up. Let local governments handle it.

Okay, rant over. Larry W.