So now a sacred place of education- a place of learning, pursuit of knowledge and flowering of imagination is potentially turned into a war zone ? So now job description for teachers include operating semi automatic weapons fit for battlefield ? So then do teachers go to target practice in addition to curriculum planning and … um teach??!
What happened to teaching non violence and creating a more peaceful, just and civil world? And Does he know or even care that some schools don’t have the textbooks and supplies due to budget cuts etc. Is PTA to have fundraisers for this additional cost !!!?So so out of touch but apparently very in touch with you know. International community’s comment I read so far is – that of shock as it seems NRA is even more powerful than the leader of the free world.
ALSO – Would any of his children or grandchildren attend a school where teachers are armed? Are teachers human and sometimes have bad days or anger issues? Of foremost importance – Would his idea to arm 20% of teachers really deter violence? I don’t think so. I think it will escalate it – as he refers to lunatics – okay, lunatics sometimes don’t care as they are feeling so miserable themselves, they want company – aren’t the suspect under 24 hrs. surveillance for possible suicidal act; and that’s just it. Those who do something so evil don’t care about their own self-preservation. In fact, they may glorify going down with a gunshot. Hasn’t he heard of suicide bombers ? Those feeling desperate is not deterred by guns held by teachers. In fact, he may know which teacher has the gun and which teacher does not.
Has he thought about the resources needed to administer this great idea of his? Obviously having gone to private prep school all his life, he clearly does not get it – out of touch with the realities of regular folks. Schools are not commercial airliner; teachers are not pilots. Where’s that deep critical thinking you learn in a classroom? Didn’t he brag how he is educated at an Ivy League school ?
Mental illness did not kill innocent lives at these incidents; guns did. Guns in the hands of wrong people. Even age requirement would not change that as – recall – that seemingly normal man who shot and killed over 50 and wounded nearly 1000 at a country music concert in Las Vegas last year was an adult and probably would even pass the background check. After the mass shooting, the perpetrator killed himself so … if he were to show up at a school, someone like him would not be afraid of few teachers with guns. He will far outdo them as he was able to shoot over 1000 rounds in just 10 minutes. Why was he able to do that? Because he was legally able to procure all those weapons fit for a battleground, that’s way.
This country does not have any more mental illnesses than rest of the world per capita. BUT for a so called “civilized” society, gun violence far exceeds. Why? Because rights of the paranoid minority with distrust of the taxpayers funded peace officers are somehow considered more important than the right to life for our teens and children. Our teens and children are our future – our promise for a better tomorrow. How is it that the rights of the paranoid few overtake rights of non-armed innocent people with a whole life ahead of them?
As you can see I’m a little angry. Quite angry and … sad. Which is why I probably need to spend more time on the mat:) I probably have to harness this anger and channel into action for good deeds to support this movement.
This is from few years ago and there’s an “angrier” version but I like the head banging on this as I may have to incorporate this technique in my home practice – humor always help at times of fear … fear for the children; fear for the teachers, fear for lunatics on the streets and lunatics selling out for profit – fear for the sanity of the current leadership … as I contemplate trauma-sensitive yoga class safe for everyone attending.