Soapbox….Soapbox…….
The recent Florida shooting was tragic, no argument on that. As they all are. What I hate is all the political hand wringing and smoke blowing that occurs while the blood is still wet on the ground.
There were numerous signs that this young man (boy) was seriously disturbed and there were many indications of problems. Something should have been done. Again, I have no argument.
I am not going to argue “gun control”, or any of the other topics that will come up. Gun control is really people control and that I disagree with that goal.
I want to say something about the way the argument is sometimes skewed.
It is being reported there have been 18 school shootings so far in 2018. Let’s look at those numbers;
New York; a gun was fired in a school; 0 injured; ruled an accident
Minnesota; a gun was fired by a security guard; 0 injured; an accident
Maryland; a gun was used in a robbery; victim was killed
Penns.; a gun was fired during a fight; victim was killed
Mich.; a gun was fired in a school parking lot; 0 injured
Alabama; a gun was fired in a school parking lot; 0 injured
Texas; a gun was fired during a teenage domestic; 0 injured
Louisiana; a gun was fired during a drive by shooting near a school; 0 injured
Texas; a gun was fired during a drive by shooting near a school; 0 injured
California; a gun was fired during a drive by shooting near a school; 0 injured
Arizonia; a gun was fired by a student committing suicide; victim was killed
Texas; a gun was fired by a student in a school; 0 injured; ruled an accident
Washington State; 2shoots were fired at a school during a drive by; 0 injured
Michigan; ; a gun was fired by a student committing suicide; victim was killed
(These are as reported by the Safe Everytown (Fair Gun Control) stats page.)
I don’t think these are anywhere the same magnitude as the Florida assault. But if you only read the headline, and only their numbers, you’d think it was the television wild west.
I say “television wild west” because historical facts show there were more gunfights on just “Gunsmoke”, then were recorded in the entire west from just after the civil war to the end of the century.
If we’re going to report numbers and incidents, let’s report them fairly. Don’t just use them to frighten everyone into agreeing with you. If you scare anyone badly enough, they’ll agree with anything that will make them feel safe, whether it does or not.
