Saturday, December 15, 2012

Where Will it End? Some Suggestions

The Sandy Hook School tragedy is beyond comprehension, let alone words.  It is, of course, made all the worse by the thought that most of the victims were not just innocent, but were very young children.  So first, we must all keep those affected families in our prayers.  That may seem trite to say because we are saying it so much these days, with all the carnage left by shooters in Oregon, Aurora, Oak Creek, and unfortunately, on and on.

We ask over and over how this could keep happening in our country and the answer is not simple.   It is not just a matter of more gun control.  It is not just a better handle on those with mental health issues.  It is not just a matter of increased security.  The answer, as so many are, is complex and needs a multi-faceted focus.  I offer a few humble suggestions here for anyone to ponder.

1.  We need to assess why the U.S. has so many of these kinds of shootings.  Do other countries have fewer per capita killings such as these?  If so, what is the difference?  Is it our culture, our level of freedom, our wild west heritage, our 2nd Amendment?
2.  We need to look at our mental health system and put in place an "early warning" system where patient confidentiality (or the protection of the confessional) is trumped by real concerns for the safety of the person and others.  I know it is easy to second guess after the fact; it is easy to point out the "signs" of problems before these horrific acts.  Yet, we must have some sort of screening system, that professionals as well as friends and relatives can access to report their concerns.
3.  We need to assess our security, particularly in schools.  Locked outside doors, cameras, and even security guards might deter a potential shooter.  Of course, with those things in place, we will never know what didn't happen.
4.  Finally, but surely not the last idea, is that the U.S. must address reasonable gun control.  We will never be able to ban ownership of all guns as is the case in many countries.  We are too far beyond that, with our constitutional freedoms, or self-sufficiency heritage, and many other reasons.  However, there can be some compromises made that still allow for the "right to bear arms."  Every answer had its pitfalls, but surely someone can craft a series of compromises that gives us room on both sides.  I suggest a few here; there are surely many more that can be generated in a good discussion.
A.  Ban all assault weapons for civilian ownership, the same with high capacity clips.  There is no legitimate reason for these other than for killing people in great numbers.  These are tools of war or law enforcement.
B.  Require all guns be registered in a national database (or shared state databases).  This still allows for hunting weapons, handguns for personal protection or sport, and nearly anything else you need a gun for.  Limit gun ownership to a reasonable number, say 12 guns per person.  This, of course, allows the determined gun buyer to purchase guns in the names of his or her spouse, children, cousins, etc, but still requires all gun to be registered.   Concealed carry is now allowed in 49 states, so continue to refine the training requirements with a minimum standard set by the federal government. 
C.  Require a comprehensive background check for all gun owners and set parameters for denial of registration (e.g., mental illness, criminal background, and the like).

With a combination of good policy in all of the suggestions above, we will never stop everyone who is set on horrific massacres, but will save untold numbers from the possible threat of maiming or killing.  

We have to start somewhere.  We have to have this discussion now.  We have to agree that we do not want to see more tragedies like Sandy Hook, Aurora, Columbine, Virginia Tech, and on and on.