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Shooting fallout: Metal detectors in U.S. elementary schools?

63 Comments
By BEN FINLEY and DENISE LAVOIE

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63 Comments

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That won’t even help. They just bring in then something else, non-metallic. Those few are on average completely stupid and violent, but surely otherwise underestimated in their criminal energy and are of course clever enough to easily avoid those entrance detectors.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

"Not an acidental shooting" "there was an altercation"

mmm....

I looked it up. And it just proved what I expected. These people are taught to hate us from the cradle.

6 ( +11 / -5 )

The fact that every child growing up in America now goes through active shooter drills, schools need metal detectors and kids have their bags searched so that "Freedumb!" lovers and gun nuts can have any weapon anywhere shows just how broken American society is.

I am a 40 year gun owner and these laws are in a word, insane. In some states, you can open carry just like the cowboys without any kind of license or permit. Except even the cowboys couldn't do that.

(In famously lawless Dodge City Kansas, carrying a weapon in the city was forbidden in the late 1800s and all firearms had to be stored with the Sheriff upon entering the city because the murder rate was too high. There were 2 gun murders the year the law was passed. And strangely, nobody's liberties were impinged.)

One of the things I like most about Japan is the certainty bordering on "not winning the lottery" that I will not be shot going about my daily business, my children were absolutely safe from gun violence and I never need to worry about some Freedumb-goober walking into a supermarket Ramboed-up just because he (It's always a he) can.

When Sandyhook happened, I really thought things would change. I was sadly mistaken.

9 ( +12 / -3 )

“No charges have been brought against the mother so far.”

Why? If she can’t keep her guns locked up she needs to be kept locked up instead.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

One of the things I like most about Japan is the certainty bordering on "not winning the lottery" that I will not be shot going about my daily business, my children were absolutely safe from gun violence and I never need to worry about some Freedumb-goober walking into a supermarket Ramboed-up just because he (It's always a he) can.

But there have been several violent attacks against children. Beheading in Kobe. Then the Osaka school massacre. 2019 stabbing of 17 children in Kawasaki. Last year two junior high school students were injured in a knife assault in Sendai.

But it is very sad when young children can't attend school without the fear of violence.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Metal detectors, bullet-proof doors, armed teachers....

All because Repubs and the MAGA-masses love their guns more than their children....

This likely MAGA-parent kept her loaded gun in her purse, without any trigger guard, when it should have been locked up in a secure gun container, unloaded, with a trigger lock...

But no, that would infringe on her FREEDOM...

The freedom to scar her 6 year old child for life...and possible kill or permanently injure the teacher...

Welcome to MAGA-family values...

-1 ( +10 / -11 )

And who pays for this? They don't have this in Japan and I'm glad my city tax is not going towards these stupid metal detectors in Japan. It's funny that Trump people and all their guns have to leave these guns at home when they come to Japan. And good riddance to that since you can talk about guns all you want in Japan but never have them here. This is solid proof that open gun laws in the USA contributes to more inflation. When I go to a bar in a big city in Japan I don't have to worry about armed security costs being passed on to my drinks and making them even more expensive like they do at American nightclubs.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

The shooting of a first-grade teacher by a 6-year-old boy has plunged the nation into uncharted waters of school violence, with many in the Virginia shipbuilding city where it happened demanding metal detectors in every school.

Being raised in a similar environment in this area there are a host of factors related to this that offer no simple solutions in the US highly militarized society.

Closets in a house that are basically armories.

Parents absent on deployments for long periods and latchkey children.

There are measures that should be taken to limit the availability of guns in public , and Switzerland also has high levels of gun ownership and lower per capita crime.

Maybe the answer for the US is better health care, less militarization, more social service support for the desperate and their loved ones, supporting teachers more as well as sensible controls like gun licensing.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

“No charges have been brought against the mother so far.”

Why? If she can’t keep her guns locked up she needs to be kept locked up instead.

Let me guess: the mother (no father in the house, of course) was either stoned or drunk out of her mind at 8 in the morning and didn't notice the kid (who has been told since day one to hate a certain type of people) take the gun. The gun was most likely stolen and owned by one of the mother’s many boyfriends or possibly another 'gangsta' son. Left laying on the coffee table with several boxes of ammunition. Like a toy or a soft drink.

3 ( +9 / -6 )

The gun was most likely stolen and owned by one of the mother’s many boyfriends or possibly another 'gangsta' son. 

The gun belonged to the mother and was purchased legally.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

But there have been several violent attacks against children. Beheading in Kobe. Then the Osaka school massacre. 2019 stabbing of 17 children in Kawasaki. Last year two junior high school students were injured in a knife assault in Sendai.

Not a Japan apologist but I lol with your comment. For instance, people here in Japan usually tell you a neighborhood is "very dangerous" because of some crime that has happened there ages ago. When I first moved to Ayase (Tokyo) people asked me if I was safe/ok living there, all because of a gruesome murder happened in 88

8 ( +11 / -3 )

But there have been several violent attacks against children. Beheading in Kobe. Then the Osaka school massacre. 2019 stabbing of 17 children in Kawasaki. Last year two junior high school students were injured in a knife assault in Sendai.

Noted Wallace, but that is a once-in-a-generation type of event much like the mass-stabbing on the train a couple of Halloweens ago.

On the other hand....

There have been 25 thousand gun deaths of children since Sandyhook. Not all of them or even most of them have been the horrifying mass-shooting variety. But FAR too many have. Miami, Ulvalde, a score of others that I am forgetting because there are simply too many to remember (which really ought to be a red alert in and of itself).

These parents, I cannot even imagine. Their lives are (in my opinion) over. I know that mine would be. Never again will Christmas, birthdays, any day of rememberance be joyful ever again. They will never get to watch their children grow to adulthood. Never get to share their triumphs and setbacks. They will forever be in a place where they sent their children to die, in school, the place where they really should be safe.

And all so the few can have unlimited access to any firearm virtually anywhere.

It. Is. Insane.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

These parents, I cannot even imagine. Their lives are (in my opinion) over. 

Yep, definitely not something that goes away like that.

And reocurring school mass shootings don't help either, I would guess its just another stab on the never healing wound in these parents.

9 ( +12 / -3 )

These parents, I cannot even imagine. Their lives are (in my opinion) over. 

Yep, definitely not something that goes away like that.

One of the parents called it "The club that nobody wants to join."

As a father of children the same age as the kids at Margory Taylor Douglas High School, it made the hair on my neck stand up.

Even a nutter showering Country Music Festival-goers (normally a key gun demographic) in Vegas killing (as I recall) over 50 and wounding MANY more didn't change anything.

For God's Sake, the 5th Circuit (where the law goes to die) threw out the Bump-Stock Ban (which turns semi-auto rifles into fully-automatic machine guns).

It's just nuts.

Again, I have been a shooter since the age of 6 and a gun owner for 40 years. I enjoy shooting and do so virtually every time I go home. (I do not enjoy hunting anymore. I don't enjoy killing something for sport just because I can but that is just me and I understand how others like this legal hobby.)

And I think that the entire argument has just gone so far off the rails, that we cannot even see the rails anymore.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

These people are taught to hate us from the cradle.

who has been told since day one to hate a certain type of people

What ‘people’? Who are ‘us’?

Be specific.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

Nemo

I agree with you but care here is also required. I love watching the local elementary school kids walking to school in their clean bright uniforms. They all say hello when they see me in the garden.

There have been 189 shootings at schools around the US since Sandy Hook that have resulted in at least one fatality. 279 casualties.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-63911172

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Osaka school massacre.

(Now) Teacher's have training for this with the sasumata which works well enough in most school attack cases and it's much cheaper and safer than an AR. And in case someone steals the school version of the sasumata, you can't really kill anyone with it. I guess I'm fine paying my city tax money of 10,000 yen for one of these items for a Japanese elementary school that should last the lifetime of the school with zero maintenance. It doesn't need maintenance or require electricity. How much does one metal detector go for (and how much to maintain)? Yes, tax dollars at work. Proof that all this gun rights garbage contributes to American inflation.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

What a sick country..

Is this the "freedom" religious "patriotic" conservatives boast themselves all over the country???.. Pathetic!!..

Thank God I'm in my civilized, clean, safe and free of guns JAPAN..

Welcome to MAGA-family values...

Sure, MAGA idiocy is sinking the country..

1 ( +4 / -3 )

There are not only metal detectors, but also armed guards, at;

Much much more than in Japan (and increasing) because of America's more and more open gun laws. This is going in the wrong direction just to entertain Trump people and it's adding to the US tax bill. Back in the 70s they had armed guards at US banks but not schools (no ARs then)....now ARs and cases like Sandy Hook. When I was a kid we didn't have this and school was completely open. Again, who pays for all this security?

... then maybe it means you're not at all interested in protecting the kids

Then how about allowing responsible teens to carry semi autos just like adults?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Kids with guns will cause more deaths.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

What a sick country.. 

Is this the "freedom" religious "patriotic" conservatives boast themselves all over the country???.. Pathetic!!.. 

I think you are a bit confused on the matter.

Thank God I'm in my civilized, clean, safe and free of guns JAPAN.. 

That might be the refuge and solitude for you, not for everyone, having guns doesn't make you less civilized, some might think the opposite.

Welcome to MAGA-family values...

Sure, MAGA idiocy is sinking the country..

Wait, he instituted the 2nd amendment?

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

having guns doesn't make you less civilized, some might think the opposite.

Hmm so you think having more and more guns will make you more civilized, interesting.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I'm sure glad I don't have to send my kids to an armed prison every day.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

having guns doesn't make you less civilized, some might think the opposite.

Those some are wrong.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Those some are wrong.

Well, I think the opposite, we will just have to disagree on that one.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

It is impossible to deny there is too much personal violence in the US. The highest gun homicide rate in the G7.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

but ultimately and being able enjoy or purchase as many as I want and whatever I want

...and leaving them in the USA. What happens if you are attacked by someone with a knife in Japan? Or a sword? Or someone drives towards you with a car trying to kill you (this has happened in Japan)? Your guns in the USA will not save you in Japan.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

@buua Murder is murder, death is death regardless of the type of weapon used. Yes America has guns and that is usually the choice of weapon when we read about such crimes. Ok, is it safe to say also that Japan or any other country is a sick society where most of the crimes or killing where you find the choice of weapon be a knife. People are going to find a way to kill and what ever the weapon that is most prevalent in that country that is the weapon that will be used. Just yesterday in the JT their was an article about all the knives being made and becoming popular in Japan. Would it be safe to say ban all knives in Japan and you can say it could solve a lot of problems. You wrote " what can you expect from a country where half of the politicians are (...)? Thats a matter of opinion. My point here is whether its a gun, a knife a metal bat people will kill regardless of the choice of weapon and trying to eradicate that weapon. Supposedly Japan had no guns but a Japanese citizen went to great lengths to build one and it worked it killed Abe, again my point is regardless if people have the mental capacity to want to kill they will chose or MAKE the weapon of choice they want or have to do the crime!!! So whats your point!

What a sick society! Ban all guns and you could solve a lot of problems. But what can you expect from a country where half of the politicians are ( . . . )?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Hmm so you think having more and more guns will make you more civilized, interesting.

Not more or less, but ultimately and being able enjoy or purchase as many as I want and whatever I want.

Everyone owning a lot of guns would make the US probably the most civilized country then.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

People are going to find a way to kill and what ever the weapon that is most prevalent in that country that is the weapon that will be used.

This logic is used by those lacking the intelligence to realize that if people were going to kill regardless of tool, you would see roughly the same per-capita murder rate in other countries, just with other weapons instead of guns.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

again my point is regardless if people have the mental capacity to want to kill they will chose or MAKE the weapon of choice they want or have to do the crime!!! So whats your point!

I agree , the 6yr old will make that weapon if he really wants tobkill that teacher

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Everyone owning a lot of guns would make the US probably the most civilized country then.

You can interpret that anyway you like.

This logic is used by those lacking the intelligence

Or the people that try to make the counter-argument

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

It is impossible to deny there is too much personal violence in the US. The highest gun homicide rate in the G7.

And? You think that will somehow make Washington change the second amendment?

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

And? You think that will somehow make Washington change the second amendment?

Nope. But neither will it stop us from pointing out how uncivilized America is due to its gun laws.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

You can interpret that anyway you like.

I'm saying that's the logical extension of what you're saying.

Am I wrong?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

bass4funk

It is impossible to deny there is too much personal violence in the US. The highest gun homicide rate in the G7.

And? You think that will somehow make Washington change the second amendment?

Actually no I do not and have never posted that. But there are very serious problems of violence especially gun homicide including very young children.

Better gun laws will help and that point is supported by millions of Americans.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

bass4funk

why does the US have the highest gun homicide rate in the G7?

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Better gun laws will help and that point is supported by millions of Americans.

No, just enforce the already strict laws on the books, Chicago is a prime example of that, were they to enforce the laws harshly and increase police presence the city would be a lot different, but the powers that be in that city...ahem just won't do it, so the citizens need to start arming themselves and that is exactly what is happening.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

I'm saying that's the logical extension of what you're saying.

Am I wrong?

IMHO I would say so.

Ah so you're saying everyone having guns would make the US less civilized

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Thanks for clarifying

2 ( +2 / -0 )

so the citizens need to start arming themselves

How about kids? They are citizens too. Look at Rittenhouse. He was a kid and he shot all those BLM people when they attacked him with a skateboard. Then kids should be armed too? After the shooting, Trump had Rittenhouse at his Malago resort in Florida. Rittenhouse it Trump's friend.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Ah so you're saying everyone having guns would make the US less civilized

That is not what I said, nor implied. That is how you personally feel about the situation and that is your choice to think like that if you wish to.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

That is not what I said, nor implied. 

Then how about kids? Sometimes they are attacked (Like Kyle Rittenhouse) and shoot and kill people legally.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

That is not what I said, nor implied. That is how you personally feel about the situation and that is your choice to think like that if you wish to.

So which is it?

Everyone in the US having guns will make the US more civilized or less civilized?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Nope. But neither will it stop us from pointing out how uncivilized America is due to its gun laws.

Ok, you can think that, I don't and that won't change my feeling thinking it's civilized and neither will you on your opinion of the issue, we will just have to agree to disagree.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

bass4funk

Better gun laws will help and that point is supported by millions of Americans.

No, just enforce the already strict laws on the books,

Except when there are none or few gun laws like in Texas or Montana. What is there to enforce?

THE BEST STATES FOR RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERS

https://www.az-defenders.com/best-states-for-gun-owners/

3 ( +3 / -0 )

bass4funk

the US suicide rate

The annual age-adjusted suicide rate is 13.42 per 100,000 individuals. Many by gunshot.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Except when there are none or few gun laws like in Texas or Montana.

You also don't have the out of control crime rate that you do in States like California and NYC

https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/content/issues/right-keep-and-bear-arms

https://bareillycollege.org/top-10-safest-cities-in-the-u-s-2023/

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

having guns doesn't make you less civilized, some might think the opposite.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

No one in my American family owns a gun. We are opposed to all of them.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Young school children should be loved, protected, educated, and nurtured and not shot dead. A shameful situation in the US.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Young school children should be loved, protected, educated, and nurtured and not shot dead. A shameful situation in the US.

They also should come first and foremost especially the poor and impoverished over other foreign nations

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

They also should come first and foremost 

And who pays for that?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

All children in the US regardless of their nationality or citizenship should be protected and cared for. But all the school shootings have involved American-born children, not so-called illegals.

The new republican house intends to cut back on welfare support.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

No one in my American family owns a gun. We are opposed to all of them.

Ok, good for you.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Why is the US so violent?

The murder rate increased during Trump's office. 4.2 in 2016 and 6.9 in 2020.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Kevlar-lined uniforms are popular in London because there have been a number of stabbings (mostly outside schools, not in them). Thankfully guns are far rarer.

To state the obvious: If guns are widely available, you'll get a lot of shootings, including some kids. If you don't want gun deaths, get rid of the guns. Otherwise accept it. You can't have your cake and eat it.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

why does the US have the highest gun homicide rate in the G7?

Why is the US so violent?

Same reason why heavily armed Switzerland is so peaceful. Most gun killings and mass shootings in America are commited by blacks.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

Same reason why heavily armed Switzerland is so peaceful. Most gun killings and mass shootings in America are commited by blacks.

Aaah. That’s what you meant yesterday by them and us. I suspected as much. Black people are taught from the cradle to hate white people? This school shooting was racially motivated?

Besides, you are incorrect. The majority of mass shootings are committed by white people. That’s a fact.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

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