Seems to Me
5/28/23
This. Is. Insane.
May 24 marked one year since the horrific, grievous shooting deaths of 19 children and two of their teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. So recent activities in that state seem somehow fitting, if tragically ironic.
Somewhat earlier this year, the Texas legislature, evidently not overwhelmed by the burdens of governing the state within its prescribed 140-day biannual session, managed to find time to consider a bill that would provide for third graders to receive annual training to man bleeding control stations in their schools the event of a shooting. These stations would be equipped to render the same type of trauma care provided on the battlefield to U.S. armed forces.
The typical third grader is eight or nine years old. That’s below the age to become a Boy or Girl Scout, organizations with form in offering rather less dramatic first aid instruction.
But not to worry. Quibbling issues of age of its potential providers aside, the necessity of this training will doubtless be reduced now that Texas students as young as four are soon to be toddling home from school with Winnie-the-Pooh cartoon booklets teaching them to “run, hide, fight” if a gunman enters their school. The “Hide” admonition comes couched in soothing rhyme – “If danger is near, do not fear, HIDE like Pooh does until the police appear” – and an accompanying illustration of Pooh with his head in a honey pot. If the Uvalde Police Department’s response is anything to go by, 74 minutes is a long time for a four-year old to have their head anywhere.
Well, Texas. Where a permit-less carry law took effect in 2021, allowing the good (and other) citizens to pack handguns in public without having to bother with a background check, obtaining a license, or the hassle of demonstrating any firearms proficiency whatsoever. As predictable as sunrise, firearm mortality rate increased ten percent that same year while the state’s number of firearm deaths – 4,613 – led the nation. Since the beginning of this year, Texas has suffered 18 mass shootings, being daintily defined by the Gun Violence Archives – what kind of country has such an organization? – as four or more victims, but not including the shooter.
Not that Texas is, sadly – tragically -- by any means alone among states in its craven proclivity to rush right by the cause of the problem to get to the far easier, more agreeable and, most importantly, less politically risky business of just dealing with the consequences. Far better when the roof leaks to line up the buckets than to climb on the roof.
Infringe on the holy right to own lethal warfare tools designed expressly for the purpose of causing the maximum harm in minimum time? Why, no thank you. Because, well, you never know. Someday some poor soul might come to the door looking for some other address. Or a carful of kids might use your driveway to turn around. Or someone in a parking lot might mistakenly get into your car. Or -- the horror! -- some pesky neighbor in the middle of the night might ask you to refrain from shooting your gun off so their kids can get some sleep.
The Texas state motto is “Friendship.” Much more appropriate, if equally ineffective, would be “Thoughts and prayers.” For the rest of us, recognizing the utter insanity of the current situation – both causes and facile remedies -- would be a useful start.
