"I Don't Like Mondays"

The writings and journals of the Columbine killers were released yesterday. Fascinating? No doubt. Necessary? I’m just not sure. I don’t see what’s to be learned from the ramblings of a couple troubled teens. I can see others looking at this stuff as gospel. I naturally assume that we will soon be hearing of more copycat stuff going on in a few schools around the country.

I don’t have any stats but I think I’m pretty safe to say that ever since Brenda Spencer shot at those kids in San Diego back in 1979, we seem to be hearing this story at least once every school year. As a side note, that shooting spree was the inspiration behind the Boomtown Rats hit, “I Don’t Like Mondays”. I think it fascinating that Brenda got the gun as a present from her father. I know, I know. Guns don’t kill, people do.

I recently saw a documentary about two kids in Arkansas I think, that set off the fire alarm at school and were waiting in the woods for the people to come outside and then opened fire. They killed a few kids and adults. I think the killers’ ages were 11 and 14. They got the guns from one of their Grandfathers’ houses. Once again, guns don’t kill, people do.

From February of 1996 through November 2005 there were 30 school shootings in the U.S. (even more world wide) leaving 57 students and administrators dead and countless others injured. This doesn’t come close to accounting for all that were affected by it. In each of these 30 instances, the perpetrators were either current or former students of the school where the action took place.

Of the 30 school shootings mentioned above, no less than 80% of the weapons used were obtained in some way from a close relative of the shooter. In a couple cases the shooter had killed the relatives before heading to school to finish the job they had set out to do. I find this 80% rather fascinating in that these weapons were there for the taking by “normal, good” kids. Here’s where the guns don’t kill argument fizzles.

If these normal kids had no access to guns there is a high probability that no one would have ever gotten hurt. The use of a gun gives one many more opportunities to kill or maim than any other type of weapon. It’s that simple. These kids would be alive if there were no guns. Yes, I know the argument, proper gun safety and education blah, blah, blah. The only proper gun safety is no gun at all.

I know we can’t get all firearms off the street; the proverbial toothpaste back in the tube, but there has to be something that can be done. Why on earth would anyone logically need a handgun? In today’s society the excuse is for protection. All right. Then let’s say that if you are caught with one outside the home, you go to jail. Extreme? I don’t care. Read the papers, it’s not a liberal fantasy, guns are killing people everyday. Students didn’t come home from school on 30 different occasions and not once was anyone able to explain how without guns we would have been worse off. I know I’m starting to ramble so I’ll close but these numbers have to scare you. If not, you scare me.