Public Shootings
By Ron Mullins and Thom Bolsch
We recently heard about an individual that entered a public place to kill people with a firearm. There were killings and injuries; but that person was stopped by someone else carrying a firearm.
This and several other incidents since the beginning of the year has the media, political activist and one side of the political circus crying for the abolishment of individuals owning firearms.
We’ll go out on a limb here and postulate that it may not be the firearm. People have had hidden, and sometime open, agendas towards other people and groups of people for eons. Prior to the invention of the explosively generated projectile; other forms of violence were used to execute on their agenda.
If we turn our sight to England, where the individual ownership of a firearm is highly restricted, would you be surprised to learn that attacks and violence in England is similar to the violence and attacks in the United States? Sure, the count is lower; but the population is less. However; the statistics are similar.
We were recently asked by one of the news channels to discuss public safety in light of the recent event here in Houston. The reality is that the edge tilts to the bad actor. There is no system, no protocol, no barrier that will keep a lone individual from finding a way to execute on their agenda. The protection has to be perfect 24/7/365. The bad actor only has to be lucky once.
Now, there are things we can do. To start: it is in everyone’d best interest to stay alert for tell-tale signs that broadcast intent and action. Always be on guard for the unexpected. Yes, yes; we know you can’t plan for the unexpected; but you can plan on how you might respond to a broad range of events. You can ensure that family, friends and those near you are equally aware.
And the most important thing you can do? If you see something, SAY something. In just about all of the public shooting incidents, the perpetrator did in fact broadcast intent and actions. Those around them chose to ignore the signs. Had someone stepped up and said something, a good portion of public shootings would not have occurred.
Human Behavior
We have commented on this before; but it bares repeating. For a large group of humans to aggregate, rules of behavior have to be established for the benefit of the group, society and civilization as a whole. In the past, those that could not comply with those behavioral rules, were banished from the group.
For civilization to work, people have to be aware of the rules, know the rules, understand the rules and comply with the rules. And if they don’t; well we don’t banish people anymore; but we do hold accountable punish them for their bad behavior.
Should we be talking as if this is a “gun” issue?
When you have an illness; you share the symptoms with your doctor. The doctor is not concerned with the symptoms; the doctor is noting the symptoms to identify the problem. With an understanding of the “root” cause of the symptoms; your doctor can proscribe a cure – a solution to the problem.
If other countries have similar levels of violence; and some have greater levels of violence; is the “gun” the root problem? If we step back from the emotion and asses the facts, we find that the gun is not the problem, it is a tool used by the individual that has the problem!
Further assessment would identify the symptoms and by drilling down, we isolate a “root” cause. Knowing the “root” cause; we can work to address the problem. “The PROBLEM, NOT THE GUN!”
One possibility is that the voters elect liberal leaning members for congress and they pass legislation restricting guns in the United States. Will that stop shootings? No.
If we rescinded the Second Amendment, would that stop shootings? No.
Make guns illegal? Would that stop shootings? No.
How about we pay closer attention to the actions of the members of society and if we see something, we say something? No. It would catch a lot of issues before they bubbled over the top and reduce the count; but it would not stop the shootings altogether.
We have to understand our society, we have to get to know our neighbors, we have to be proactive in keeping our communities safe and we have to hold the bad actors accountable and prosecute their bad behavior.
And of course, we have to protect ourselves. Defensive shooting is a perishable skill. If you have not been to the range yet this year; what are you waiting for? Grab your bag and a friend and come visit.
Stay Alert, Stay Safe,
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