Anti gun letter to editor and my reply

[03scf250]

This was a letter to the editor in The Express Times on Sept. 7 2010;

Don’t use guns in school security drill

Regarding the lawsuit filed by a teacher against the Phillipsburg School District and the town’s police department: School drills with guns and ammunition are 100 percent wrong!

Schools are not the Army. It doesn’t matter if its kids in school or adults, people aren’t ready for guns of any kind. Anything could happen, as with teacher Valerie Dozier, who claims she was injured when she fell after running out of the school and suffered lasting psychological injuries.
Train the people who work there and the kids. Show them training films. People know what could happen in one world today.

Why scare the hell out of good working people? It’s crazy. This country should be prepared, but teach in the right way. Guns in school drills wrong!


RALPH R. SAVERCOOL
Phillipsburg
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/opin...ol_even_i.html

This was my letter to the editor in the same paper on Sept. 9 2010;

Law-abiding citizens carry guns for safety

In response to Ralph Savercool’s Sept. 7 letter about using guns in school security drills: Does anyone really think watching a video will prepare staff and students for a gunman in the building? The statement that people aren’t ready for guns of any kind is simply anti-gun media brainwashing.

Many citizens have a license to carry firearms here in Pennsylvania. Many citizens carry openly because it is legal in Pennsylvania. To say the public is not ready for guns must be a New Jersey mentality since that state does not honor Pennsylvania’s right-to-carry licenses.

Many people I know, including myself, carry guns to protect ourselves and our families. Guns are not the problem — it’s the general belief that a man with a gun, unless he is a cop, is a bad guy. Nothing could be further from the truth. Many law-abiding citizens all over this country carry a weapon on a daily basis.

Gun-free zones only stop law-abiding citizens, not criminals. Criminals could care less about the laws and signs hanging outside a building. So if you believe the sign on the door will stop an attack, you are living in a utopian world that does not exist.


MICHAEL HAWK
Nazareth
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/opin...ment_of_p.html

I hope that I spoke clearly and to the point. I would like to hear what people here have to say as the knowledge I have learned from reading on this site and researching on my own is invaluable. Please write what you think of my letter good or bad I want to hear how I could have improved what I said.

[phillykev]

No gun school zones are stupid. But so is what this person is addressing. An unannounced police training involving an actor storming the school where teachers were gathered, waving the gun around and firing blanks.

The letter you responded to actually didn't say anything about guns in schools. They said "guns in school drills" is wrong.

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/warr...740.xml&coll=3

Heck, if one of the teachers had been armed, could have been REALLY messy.

[twoeggsup]

This was a letter to the editor in The Express Times on Sept. 7 2010;...
[snip]
I hope that I spoke clearly and to the point. I would like to hear what people here have to say as the knowledge I have learned from reading on this site and researching on my own is invaluable. Please write what you think of my letter good or bad I want to hear how I could have improved what I said.

Not being privy to the full story about what the original author is talking about... I may very well agree with him to an extent as well as agree with you. Perhaps you're not talking about the same issue.

Recently, there was some sort of surprise 'drill' held in a hospital somewhere (don't recall where) and someone got the bright idea to have some swat type who was bored storm the place with what was apparently the sole intention of scaring the shit out of the sheeple.

Yeah, that was really stupid IMHO. Just an attempt to convince people that anything can happen anywhere which is good... but with the goal of showing how the swat crowd will charge to the rescue to save all.

Having swat types at all storming anywhere so they can prove they are useful to me is a big steaming pile of something that doesn't smell very good.

[Connal]

So let me get this right. They basically had a drill, where someone came in and fired blanks. And people are panicked?

I'm a firm believer in the whole "trial by fire". You can show all the videos you want. Have all the lectures. But, until you have the gut wrenching feeling. Until you have the adrenaline pumping so hard, you arms and legs hurt. Nothing, can really prepare you for that.

Could the situation been done differently? Of course. They could have just told everyone to "duck and cover". I like the thought of what they did, but not the application.

Good to get some stress in there. Bad to force a large group of people to simultaneously crap themselves.

[Kimba]

And then there is this:

http://forum.pafoa.org/general-2/106...oors-away.html

Could have ended very badly.

[TaePo]

It was my understanding when the story first broke, and I could be wrong, that the drill took place without announcement. Or at least, the firing of blanks was not referenced prior to the drill. (Maybe the drill was not generally announced at all)

I am not sure which was the case. But I can understand people's reaction to it and concern if it was not announced. If they wanted to do that, do it on an in-service day when there are no children present. (Maybe or if at all)

[YosemiteSam]

It was my understanding when the story first broke, and I could be wrong, that the drill took place without announcement. Or at least, the firing of blanks was not referenced prior to the drill. (Maybe the drill was not generally announced at all)

I am not sure which was the case. But I can understand people's reaction to it and concern if it was not announced. If they wanted to do that, do it on an in-service day when there are no children present. (Maybe or if at all)

It was an in-service day.

[TaePo]

It was an in-service day.

Then it is Much Ado about Nothing.

ETA= maybe the teacher should be fired for running and falling rather than securing the classroom like SOP suggests and awaiting rescue! Sounds like someone left their post...

[GregorOneEye]

Is your name seriously Mike Hawk...

[YosemiteSam]

Then it is Much Ado about Nothing.

ETA= maybe the teacher should be fired for running and falling rather than securing the classroom like SOP suggests and awaiting rescue! Sounds like someone left their post...

That is what I thought.