Super Lockdown

Okay, in my previous post I talked about the various different things people have pointed to as the cause of the most recent shooting. In my opinion, they're all bull. Now, upon thinking of it and seeing various comments online, I might have a sensible solution. However, I want to go over a few things first.

Recently the NRA made a press conference. So, I figured I might reiterate so of my previous points and make some new ones, addressing somethings the NRA said:

"And here's another dirty little truth that the media try their best to 
conceal: There exists in this country a callous, corrupt and corrupting
shadow industry that sells, and sows, violence against its own people. 
Through vicious, violent video games with names like Bulletstorm, 
Grand Theft Auto, Mortal Kombat and Splatterhouse. And here’s one: 
it’s called Kindergarten Killers." Violent video games and/or media didn't cause this. Seriously, violence is imbedded in us already. We don't need a medium to push us, we've been killing each other for millions of years.

It reminds me of the crusade against comic books in the 1950s. A psychiatrist named Fredric Wertham did a study that showed that the majority of kids who were sent to juvenile hall all read comic books. After doing some research, he concluded that comics were a horrible influence on children (he said Batman & Robin were gay, Wonder Woman was a lesbian, and Superman was an Un-American fascist) Because of this, Comics Code Authority was created by the comics industry in order to avoid government regulation by self regulating. This resorted in many books having to be canceled (monsters and horror books were a no-no). It even stood in the way of an anti-drug story arc in Spider-Man (they couldn't show or reference drugs at all, even to say they're bad).

What of games, you ask? Well, they've got a rating system. If you look on the box, you know what you're in for (EC= Early Childhood, E= Everyone, E10= Everyone 10+, T= Teen, M= Mature, AO= Adults Only) There are some games that don't have a rating, such as Kindergarten Killers there. However, the reason for this isn't devious, it was made by one guy and uploaded online. It's sort of like the shitty youtube video to the other, multimillion dollar blockbuster title games on that list, if that makes any sense.

Of course, the recent shooter was over 18, so what's the plan? Ban all games you deem too violent? Spare the second amendment while taking a dump on the first? And let's look at one of the game series on that list: Grand Theft Auto. The series has sold 125 million copies. Don't you think if it was corrupting everyone who plays it, we'd have a lot more violence than what's currently out there? This would be Mad Max levels of unrest. That's not the case, as violent crimes have been dropping for years. But don't take my word for it.



"How many more copycats are waiting in the wings for their moment of 
fame — from a national media machine that rewards them with the 
wall-to-wall attention and sense of identity that they crave — while 
provoking others to try to make their mark?3
A dozen more killers? A hundred? More? How can we possibly even 
guess how many, given our nation's refusal to create an active 
national database of the mentally ill?" How would forcing the mentally ill to register themselves solve anything? You do that, next thing you know Senator Kelly is getting a bill passed to have giant robots in purple Onesies hunting down those dirty, stinking mutants...er...mentally ill persons. Seriously, you're just pushing us towards the horrifyingly awesome world of the X-Men with those words.

Not everyone with a mental illness is a threat to society. OCD or Agoraphobia? Those are listed as mental disorders. What about people who are undiagnosed? Are we going to have to have mandatory testing for everyone? Would they have to go door to door and tell everyone that they have a disorder and what it is? How about if any of you fine folks at the NRA were found to have a mental illness, would you register or allow your name to be put in this database? And why is it okay for us to register people but not guns?

Obviously there is a huge stigma with mental illnesses. We need to find a way to get these people the help they need. If we treat them like criminals from the start, then some might just try and fill that role that we've cast them in.

Sensible Solution

So, how would I solve the problem of safety in our schools? Easy: SUPER LOCKDOWN! I think we need to reinforce our school's lockdown system with:

1. Bullet resistant glass.
2. Concealed metal security shutters (only activated when lockdown is initiated)
3. Bullet resistant steel doors everywhere with simulated wood covers
4. Combination electronic locks and bolts at the tops and bottoms of the doors (only activated when lockdown is initiated)
5. Emergency equipment (walkie talkies, first aid, etc) for all staff.

I know what you're thinking, "but that sounds like a prison." Only when everything is activated. Otherwise, it just looks like a normal school. That's what I'm going for, extra security without that feeling of being locked up or trapped constantly. Not only that, but it would help lessen that false sense of security that people can easily get, allowing them to stay vigilant in case something happens.

"What about having armed police officers in the school?" Well, I'd like to think that that wouldn't be necessary with my plan. Though, I suppose it beats the alternative of arming the teachers.

Till Next Time, Space Monkeys!