Guns and schools.

[floridapete]

The latest shooting spree - in a peaceful Amish school in Lancaster County PA., could not illustrate more graphically the dilemma which America faces with the gun lobby.

For this peace-loving community, which aschews all things modern and corrupting including guns, to be invaded and savaged by this mad-man (who apparently lived among them but was an 'outsider') with his legally held gun collection, is a very sad comment on the sickness within.

This is, after all, the third such school shooting in a week in the US !

Add to that the 'gun-fest' ritual slaughter of a 'suspect' by the Polk County SWAT team who delighted in pumping 110 bullets from close range, of which 'only' 68 hit the guy, in revenge for his alleged shooting of their deputy buddy and his dog earlier in the week. What a disgusting display of 'law and order'.

I was wondering what concerns other expats in Florida (and elsewhere in the US.) have for the safety of their children in schools where gun invasions seem now to be common place, that they even have security against guns and knives at the school doors and every neighbour has to be assumed to have a gun in their homes ?

How many of our expats over there have yet felt the need to buy a gun and are prepared to use it (to protect their home and family of course).

[Emmalee25]

In Leeds,
we had muggings, beatings, stabbings, happy slap attacks....need I go on!
It happens everywhere unfortunately Pete! Its just warmer in Florida!
Em x

[Emmalee25]

Oooops!
Forgot to add, I would never have a gun, I have held one once and hated the fact that I could take a life with it! My family is very passive, we keep ourselves to ourselves and hope we are never in that situation. Our old neighbour in Leeds actually collected hunting weapons, guns, blades etc...he was an alcholic and complete nutter but i didnt feel the need to have the same to protect myself, I just sold the house to a lovely lesbian couple! :)
Emma x

[Bobby]

It would take about 50 years to legislate and rid the ordinary household of guns in the US, and for what benefit?

When you ban or try to restrict the use of something, be it alcohol, gambling, drugs, guns or whatever, all it succeeds in doing is driving the problem underground.

Knives are prevalent in the UK culture so do you think if the British police carried guns, some of the current crime statistics would change? Probably. There'd be more accidental deaths to report, and shooting the wrong suspect etc.
It's just the way of the world. We have problems everywhere.
If someone is going to storm a school and kill the kids, then that's what's going to happen. It's tragic of course, but unless we treat schools like prisons and have guards on every door, I can't see many ways of reducing the risks.

I'll be searching the Lacoste and Next catalogues soon to see their new Kevlar range of school clothing!

Bobby

[Susie]

Hi Peter

Some of the schools in Florida now have a security guard on duty and children are subject to radom searches. This is not only for guns but drugs as well. This is quite a concern of mine to think children have access to these items. I suppose you can blame the parents to a degree but then some children are beyond help. Quite often the police are at the schools to direct the traffic when going home time and at different times just to show a presence

Whilst I do not know of any shootings in a UK school I am wondering if there have ever been any cases. I doubt if the US would stop the sales of guns as too many shops would go out of business but wish they would.

My husband used to work for the MOD on the design and develpment of weapons before becoming a police officer. Even in a controlled area accidents still happened, deadly weapons should not be easy to obtain and laws need to be tightened up

Whilst I was special constable for 5 years in the UK I used to regulary go to schools to patrol after dark. It was amazing just how many children were caught smoking dope, lighting fireworks and attempting to break into the school which is ironic as parents sometimes have difficulty getting their kids to go to school in the mornings

[Kitty]

Hi

Maybe it is about time the all children were made to go through the type of screening like us when we come through the POE