Read Online A Good Guy With A Gun by Steven Friedman - Free Book Online
Authors: Steven Friedman
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family's legally owned personal arsenal.
Columbine followed that a year later, which I hardly need to remind you of the details. Since that time there have been over 61 Mass shootings in the USA, many of which were committed with large arsenals consisting of multiple semi-automatic assault rifles or handguns with large ammunition clips and large rounds of ammunition. Most all of these were purchased legally . While these numbers reflect the most notorious and publicized cases, every day there are shooting deaths among Black and Hispanics that go under-reported.”
Keith looked somber. “What do you say to the argument that ‘the only way to stop these mass shootings is to let more people carry concealed weapons’ ?”
She smiled, “You mean the good guy with a gun principle ? I’ve heard a lot of that lately, especially after Newtown, and of course what just happened at Emory. Despite this claim, there is scant evidence that just having someone nearby with a gun will stop a massacre. In the Tucson, Arizona shooting of Gaby Gifford, there actually was a man in the crowd who had a handgun. He almost shot the person trying to subdue the actual killer. The NRA loves to tout these stories, but in almost every case the person who actually subdued the killer was not armed, or was a trained off-duty police officer or security guard, not your average Jill or Joe with a gun. They actually conducted a live study at one school in which they had students and a teacher in class room and outfitted them with paintball guns and safety equipment and told them in advance that at some point during that class someone would burst in and start shooting. Even with the advance notice, the students in the study ended up shooting at least 10 of their fellow classmates, and only one was able to hit the shooter. Even at Emory High School who had a trained armed guard on site, seven students were still killed. The idea that more guns are needed is a huge step backwards, and is a myth perpetrated by the same people that are adamantly against any form of real gun control.”
Keith was nearly speechless now and couldn’t wait to leave. The whole conversation just dredged up all the old memories of Columbine. Still he asked, “So what is the answer?”
“The answer ….”, she replied forcefully, “is a real dialogue and meaningful national legislation on gun control.
That just isn’t going to happen as long as the NRA can pull the strings and bankroll campaigns against anyone who opposes them. Much of their money is coming from the gun industry itself which is now a hugely profitable industry. They can pump undisclosed dollars into the NRA who in turn can fund campaigns for or against anyone running for office. They can rally hundreds of people seemly at will to put on Gun Appreciation Days . Anyone who even tries to bring up a reasonable discourse is shouted down with the single most used argument “Because it is my Second Amendment Right!”
Chapter Twenty Five
Emory High School was officially closed until the investigation was completed, and then of course until after the seven funerals. Emily Watson was walking back toward her car in the school parking lot when she spotted Melissa crouched in a fetal position by the wall sobbing.
She couldn’t bear to ignore the girl who’d been the outstanding student in her class.
She walked over to the poor sobbing girl “Melissa, I’m so sorry about Billy and LeVon, I knew you were their friends. Sometimes we just can’t know what people are really thinking or capable of.”
Melissa looked up at Emily, “Ms. Watson, I know Billy couldn’t have done this on his own!” There are some things you don’t know about Billy and that guard Shupe, but I’m afraid to tell anyone! They think I was involved in getting him the gun, and now they want me to transfer to a different school.”
Emily looked startled. “Melissa, is this true?”
She shook her head.
A concerned look came over
Columbine followed that a year later, which I hardly need to remind you of the details. Since that time there have been over 61 Mass shootings in the USA, many of which were committed with large arsenals consisting of multiple semi-automatic assault rifles or handguns with large ammunition clips and large rounds of ammunition. Most all of these were purchased legally . While these numbers reflect the most notorious and publicized cases, every day there are shooting deaths among Black and Hispanics that go under-reported.”
Keith looked somber. “What do you say to the argument that ‘the only way to stop these mass shootings is to let more people carry concealed weapons’ ?”
She smiled, “You mean the good guy with a gun principle ? I’ve heard a lot of that lately, especially after Newtown, and of course what just happened at Emory. Despite this claim, there is scant evidence that just having someone nearby with a gun will stop a massacre. In the Tucson, Arizona shooting of Gaby Gifford, there actually was a man in the crowd who had a handgun. He almost shot the person trying to subdue the actual killer. The NRA loves to tout these stories, but in almost every case the person who actually subdued the killer was not armed, or was a trained off-duty police officer or security guard, not your average Jill or Joe with a gun. They actually conducted a live study at one school in which they had students and a teacher in class room and outfitted them with paintball guns and safety equipment and told them in advance that at some point during that class someone would burst in and start shooting. Even with the advance notice, the students in the study ended up shooting at least 10 of their fellow classmates, and only one was able to hit the shooter. Even at Emory High School who had a trained armed guard on site, seven students were still killed. The idea that more guns are needed is a huge step backwards, and is a myth perpetrated by the same people that are adamantly against any form of real gun control.”
Keith was nearly speechless now and couldn’t wait to leave. The whole conversation just dredged up all the old memories of Columbine. Still he asked, “So what is the answer?”
“The answer ….”, she replied forcefully, “is a real dialogue and meaningful national legislation on gun control.
That just isn’t going to happen as long as the NRA can pull the strings and bankroll campaigns against anyone who opposes them. Much of their money is coming from the gun industry itself which is now a hugely profitable industry. They can pump undisclosed dollars into the NRA who in turn can fund campaigns for or against anyone running for office. They can rally hundreds of people seemly at will to put on Gun Appreciation Days . Anyone who even tries to bring up a reasonable discourse is shouted down with the single most used argument “Because it is my Second Amendment Right!”
Chapter Twenty Five
Emory High School was officially closed until the investigation was completed, and then of course until after the seven funerals. Emily Watson was walking back toward her car in the school parking lot when she spotted Melissa crouched in a fetal position by the wall sobbing.
She couldn’t bear to ignore the girl who’d been the outstanding student in her class.
She walked over to the poor sobbing girl “Melissa, I’m so sorry about Billy and LeVon, I knew you were their friends. Sometimes we just can’t know what people are really thinking or capable of.”
Melissa looked up at Emily, “Ms. Watson, I know Billy couldn’t have done this on his own!” There are some things you don’t know about Billy and that guard Shupe, but I’m afraid to tell anyone! They think I was involved in getting him the gun, and now they want me to transfer to a different school.”
Emily looked startled. “Melissa, is this true?”
She shook her head.
A concerned look came over
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