Gun Control Reform Activism

SecularMotion

(7,981 posts) Tue Jun 17, 2014, 09:59 AM Jun 2014

Waking The Sleeping Giant On Gun Control: The PTA

Last week, my wife and I were shocked to hear about an incident that took place at the Arlington elementary school that our daughter attended last year. During a heated confrontation with the principal, a father displayed his gun permit. Local police later removed a hunting rifle from the father’s possession. He is not allowed on school property, other than to drop off and pick up his son.

I suppose we should feel reassured by this. We don’t.

Instead, like most of you, my wife and I feel a mounting sense of horror and bewilderment at the growing number of school shootings in America. In the 18 months since the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, there have been 74 additional shootings, or nearly one per week.

Over the last four years, school shootings have more than tripled, from eight in 2010 to 28 last year. We’re at 38 for the first half of 2014. The state with the highest number of shootings — 10 — was Georgia, which just happens to have passed a sweeping pro-gun law this year. Imagine that.

http://cognoscenti.wbur.org/2014/06/17/parents-should-take-the-lead-on-gun-control-steve-almond

10 replies

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Highlight:

Waking The Sleeping Giant On Gun Control: The PTA (Original Post) SecularMotion Jun 2014 OP

What in the bloody hell gets into people libodem Jun 2014 #1

Correction: jeff47 Jun 2014 #5

hmmm? libodem Jun 2014 #8

Let me get this straight tularetom Jun 2014 #2

As it came during an argument with the principal at the school after a meeting, enough Jun 2014 #4

Fear, hate and revenge. safeinOhio Jun 2014 #3

Another "responsible" gun owner billh58 Jun 2014 #6

More truth from the linked OP: billh58 Jun 2014 #7

Kick and rec JustAnotherGen Jun 2014 #9

Americans from all walks of life billh58 Jul 2014 #10

libodem

(19,288 posts)

1. What in the bloody hell gets into people

Reply to SecularMotion (Original post)

Tue Jun 17, 2014, 10:27 AM

Jun 2014

With the massacre of school kids, whether in China with knife slashing, or in an America with an AR15?

Is there a silent dog whistle of resentment against the innocent. Who pushes this hatred? Why?

If there were ever a reason to spy on each and every citizen of the world it should be to keep our schools safe. (I guess) I still resent being spied on.

Is there some larger plot being spread in right wing, white supremacy, gun nut groups, that schoolchildren are a threat? Or the public school is a threat. Who benefits when parents are too afraid to allow kids to go to school?

I have to believe it is perpetuated by an actual entity or organization not just the simultaneous voices in multiple minds?

Why does this happen and why does the NRA lobby to keep social science from studying and publishing the findings ?

jeff47

(26,549 posts)

5. Correction:

Reply to libodem (Reply #1)

Tue Jun 17, 2014, 11:07 AM

Jun 2014

In the Chinese "knife slashing", zero children died. Thus, not a massacre.

libodem

(19,288 posts)

8. hmmm?

Reply to jeff47 (Reply #5)

Tue Jun 17, 2014, 10:24 PM

Jun 2014

Interesting. Thank the Goddess.

tularetom

(23,664 posts)

2. Let me get this straight

Reply to SecularMotion (Original post)

Tue Jun 17, 2014, 10:28 AM

Jun 2014

A guy waves a gun permit during a public meeting so the cops take his hunting rifle away and kick him off school grounds?

There must be something missing from this story. It just sounds like a bit of an overreaction.

enough

(13,455 posts)

4. As it came during an argument with the principal at the school after a meeting,

Reply to tularetom (Reply #2)

Tue Jun 17, 2014, 10:49 AM

Jun 2014

it was seen as a threat.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/06/06/arlington-parent-gun-seized-after-altercation-with-elementary-school-principal/X1fMVshTpcdTgf0T5E3UFK/story.html

Actually, I can't think of any other reason why a person would wave a gun permit in that situation, other than as a threat.

safeinOhio

(34,078 posts)

3. Fear, hate and revenge.

Reply to SecularMotion (Original post)

Tue Jun 17, 2014, 10:31 AM

Jun 2014

the 3 pillars of the NRA.

billh58

(6,641 posts)

6. Another "responsible" gun owner

Reply to SecularMotion (Original post)

Tue Jun 17, 2014, 12:40 PM

Jun 2014

with an attitude...

billh58

(6,641 posts)

7. More truth from the linked OP:

Reply to SecularMotion (Original post)

Tue Jun 17, 2014, 07:09 PM

Jun 2014

Over the years, the Gun Lobby — with a cynical assist from conservative judges — has warped that original intent into some kind of carte blanche entitlement, whereby any American who hasn’t been to prison (no matter how angry or unstable) gets to carry around a portable killing machine or two.

As a result, we now have more than 300 million guns in this country and more gun fatalities than any other industrialized nation.

But it’s pointless to argue these facts with gun advocates. And it’s really not necessary. Our role at this point should be to champion our own cause, not to debate people who believe that assault weapons keep us all safe.

- Snip -

So the next time you take part in a meeting of your local PTA or PTO, please stand up and raise the issue of what your organization plans to do to fight for sane gun laws. There’s no reason that children (and parents) in the most prosperous nation on earth should live in fear of the next nut with a toxic grievance and easy access to an arsenal.

Support a gun control organization of your choice today, and urge your fellow PTA/PTO members to join you in helping to rid this nation of the gun violence which has been enabled by the profit-driven, right-wing gun lobby.

JustAnotherGen

(33,567 posts)

9. Kick and rec

Reply to SecularMotion (Original post)

Wed Jun 18, 2014, 09:03 AM

Jun 2014

billh58

(6,641 posts)

10. Americans from all walks of life

Reply to SecularMotion (Original post)

Wed Jul 9, 2014, 04:50 PM

Jul 2014

are awakening to the horrors of the gun violence epidemic in this country while hard-core rednecked gun nuts run around displaying assault type lethal weapons as some sort of an totally idiotic badge-of-honor. The only "honor" among Second Amendment absolutists is that of honoring the right-wing gun lobby (and the NRA) for support their "right" to spread death and injuries through the obscene proliferation of guns on our streets.

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