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Facing Up to Violence in Schools

by Ronald E. Diener

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RALEIGH, NC - Have you heard enough from the experts and pundits on violence in the schools? Do we need one more psychologist's professional opinion? Or law-enforcement representative? Or educator?

The facts are in hand. There is no denying the facts. And the ultimate fact is that approximately thirteen children are shot and killed DAILY. The numbers of children killed in the line of duty (i.e., being children) are much like the numbers of people killed on the highways annually. Almost five thousand children killed. About forty-three thousand people killed on the highways. This has been acceptable for a long, long time. We accept this kind of death and destruction and horror, because it is part of being "modern," or "advanced."

That is why I do not take the politicians seriously. Oversize, multi- trailered trucks - drivers call them "wiggle-wagons" for a reason - kill, not only through contact with smaller vehicles, but also by blowing them around and about with the vortex of their passing. The trucking industry says that we need bigger trucks and more trailers per tractor, to be "efficient." Now, according to some, efficiency includes tacit assent to the numbers of people being killed. Or, they say, it could be worse. I am willing to wager that their PAC will win and we will see larger and longer trucks - and more people killed. And you wonder why I am cynical about politicians? And you want them involved in school violence?

Likewise, the gun-owner lobby and the gun-manufacturing lobby will surely intervene to prevent any meaningful legislation that has to do with children and firearms. NRA has said for years that gun ownership prevents violence, because would-be thieves and robbers think twice about encountering an armed victim.

That is why I say, let's take a page out of NRA's book. If children were to come to school with their arsenal and find an armed student body ready to take them on, don't you think that they would reconsider? Yes, I am saying, arm all the kids. Right now, only the ones with irresponsible parents are armed. I say, in the name of fairness, arm them all. Is it the poor kid's fault that he has responsible parents who keep firearms out of reach? Somehow, we have to compensate for that. Arm them all. Including the teachers and the custodial staffs.

This is in line with the Pentagon's philosophy about Third World countries. Whatever the expense, arm them to the teeth. Then their neighbors will think twice about invading. And they will be better able to keep order in their own country. Of course, the people would stay in order much better, if they were fed and clothed - but that is another story and amounts to that same old tired "class warfare" stuff. And, by the way, if the U.S. Department of Education is going to be terminated anyhow, why not merge it with the Department of Defense?

I can just see it. The big bully steps up to the little fellow with menacing gestures and a sawed-off shotgun. The little fellow pulls up the sleeve of his jacket to expose a small, deadly pistol mounted on a contraption belted to his forearm.

"Make my day, sucker," he says with a sullen voice.

This is Mr. Diener's third article for the G21. His most recent article was on an attempt to the bring democracy to the United States Senate.

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