It's been awhile. No, not awhile since we had a school shooting. I wish that were true, but sadly it's not. What I mean is it's been awhile since I blogged anything. Partly because I've just been very busy running my company, but mostly because I needed a break from social media. There's been so much hate and vitriol being spilled in every corner of the internet, it was just too much. I didn't want to lose myself in all the negative energy.
In the wake of another school shooting, all the usual arguments are at play. On one side are the people screaming for gun control, and on the other side you have people screaming for more guns.
Personally, I find myself in the middle of the debate. In the interest of full disclosure, I'll tell you that I own guns. I live in Texas. I am not a member of the NRA, nor do I own an assault rifle. I wouldn't mind having one, but I just haven't needed one or wanted to spend the money on one. I'll probably buy one at some point, just for the collector aspect. Bottom line, I support gun rights and the 2nd Ammendment. That being said, if you're still reading, here's where I break away from the typical gun rights crowd...Where were the parents?
This wasn't an assault weapon. This was a kid who took his dad's shotgun and revolver. An assault ban wouldn't have stopped him. A background check wouldn't have atopped him. You know what would have? Attentive parents who knew they had a mentally unwell child, and a responsible gun owner who had his weapons secured and accounted for. The kid definitely needs to be held to account, but so does the father. He allowed his weapons to get into the hands of his child. I don't want to dismiss the fact that I know he probably feels horrible, but his regret doesn't make it right and it won't ease the pain of the parents who lost their children. He was criminally negligent. Some states have laws about this, some don't, and they are all over the place. I'm sure this wouldn't stop these types of shootings 100%, but it would be a step in the right direction. And who else would be most likely to spot a troubled child if not the parents? They are the first line of defense, and the first who should be accountable. Evil never sleeps.
