When is Enough, Enough?

Today there was another shooting at a school, 17 dead at the time of publication exceeding the number of deaths that occurred at Columbine approximately 19 years ago.  This shooting happened in south Florida, the state in which I live.

In this year alone,  just one and half months, there have been over 10 shootings at schools this year and several mass murders alone.  I have lost count and it is possible you have, too.

When do we say, “enough is enough!”

When we find ourselves in a hole, should we keep digging?  I think not.

Given all the deaths from shootings at school, some say, we should allow more open carry or concealed carry.  Does it really matter whether it is open or concealed?  To use the gun in "self-defense" someone has to shoot first and it is very well possible one or more people die before the shooter is prevented from firing more bullets.  Allow me to repeat myself, “it is very well possible one or more people die before the shooter is prevented from firing more bullets.” Even if the shooter does not kill someone, the mere fact of spraying bullets surely causes trauma.  My nine year old was traumatized from learning the news of today’s events on the radio on her way home. Should not schools be a safe place?  After hearing the news, I am sure my daughter is a little less certain, would you not agree?  Is that acceptable?  You may say that is life (or in this case, death).  I say that is sad, depressing and unacceptable!

Some say, we should arm the teachers.  Maybe the teachers do not want to be armed.  Regardless, are not teachers already over loaded with minutiae?  Do they need another task that at the end of the day is not accretive to higher learning?

Some say, we should have additional security at school.  That would be fine, but where is the money coming from? To my knowledge, taxpayers (at least the vocal ones) already complain schools receive too much money.  If no additional money is raised to pay for security services then something has to be cut, does it not?  That seems asinine, does it not, especially so when people bemoan that our education system is broken?

So what is the solution to the problem?  Some say, it’s complicated.  Truly, it is not. Please allow me to repeat myself from above, “when we find ourselves in a hole, should we keep digging?”

Are more guns the answer?  Therefore, what is the problem?   What is the one thing we could remove and there would be no more deaths from shootings?

What is more important, life or death?  If death (whether yours or someone else’s), is it really that important? Not in my book.