A guest editorial. Some thoughts on the Connecticut massacre by Old Greybeard.

Old Greybeard, a long-time friend I very much respect, asked me to post this guest editorial, which I am happy to do:

Re: The mass murders at school in Connecticut.

"Gun-free zones are simply killing fields for mass murderers." - Ted Nugent

The best way to stop the mass murder of students and teachers is to do these things: First, repeal all laws or policies that now require schools to be “gun free zones”. In each school, seek out teachers who have concealed carry permits and any more who would be willing to get a permit. Then give them extra training in shooting proficiency, the law and morality of using deadly force, and allow them to be armed in school. Require that their weapons be carried on their person at all times, not in a purse sitting in the corner. Allow any visitors who have concealed carry permits to carry inside the school when they visit.

Then, there is a reasonable chance that lives can be saved if a would-be murderer starts pointing a gun and/or shooting at people. Think of how many lives could have been saved since the Columbine shootings in 1999 with this plan. I'm sure all of those lives could not have been saved in the last 23 years, but I know a significant percentage of them could have been saved in each case by just one determined, armed teacher, visitor or college student who happened to be in the right place at the right time!

One of the duties of every school is to protect our children. Therefore, I believe that our schools are accessories to murder or at least are complicit in every one of those murders! If I was a teacher I would be armed (concealed) at all times. I don't care what federal law or school policy might say. We humans have only one life, and I would make every attempt to defend my students and any others who were threatened. I believe most teachers would also have that attitude.

The nation of Israel requires its teachers to be armed and well trained in the use of their weapon. Since that practice went into effect, very few students have been harmed while in school. Why can't we be that smart? Our country and our school systems should be run by people who think logically instead of the touchy-feelie emotional people who run things now and want to blame inanimate objects for crime instead of the people who commit those crimes. The people who lost loved ones in Columbine, Utah, Connecticut, and many other places can put most of the blame on the fact that schools are now “gun free zones”. Any fool can tell that, if these laws are obeyed, there is no way to protect anyone from a determined mass murderer. That is simply not permissible. We must repeal those law(s) or find some brave teachers, college students and other school personnel who are willing to ignore those laws or policies and be armed in a concealed fashion at all times. No government has the right to deny anyone’s ability to use the force needed to defend themselves and/or our children while they are in school.

I know that the Federal Government has our school systems throttled around the neck because the feds have the power to withhold funds if school systems don’t comply with federal law. We should demand that our school systems implement a plan to defend our children. All they have now is running, hiding, praying, or begging for their lives! Parents and other community members should attend school board meetings and demand that the system put a plan into effect which will effectively protect the students and employees! If the school’s answer is to post an armed guard at the main door, that won’t stop much. That guard would simply be the first one killed. If the plan is to put metal detectors at the door(s) the person manning a metal detector would be the first one killed. Only posting armed guards in plain clothes in every major area of schools could approach being as effective as simply arming the teachers who would agree to do it. Those trained armed guards would add a lot of cost that we can’t afford to school systems’ budgets. The most cost-effective way to protect our children is to use common sense and allow teachers who want to be armed to get proper training and carry their concealed handguns in school.

- Old Greybeard.

Also, here's a related Eugene Volokh colume, Do Civilians Armed With Guns Ever Capture, Kill, or Otherwise Stop Mass Shooters?