Moms, mayors offer misguided message on guns:

[lostinblue 1,989]

Moms, mayors offer misguided message on guns:

James Alan Fox 9:51 p.m. EST February 17, 2014

Their rate of more than three incidents per month is lower than 20 years ago.

• The statistical study of gun-related deaths and injuries in schools meant to get Congress moving.
• Each gun-related school fatality is tragic, but children are far more at risk outside of school.
• Overstating problem tends to promote easy responses that don't work and may make matters worse.

A new report on school shootings was released Wednesday on Capitol Hill by two like-minded advocacy groups striving to move Congress toward action on gun control. Whatever the impact on lawmakers, the statistical study of gun-related deaths and injuries in schools is quite disturbing, but not just in the way intended by its promoters.

According to Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and Mayors Against Illegal Guns, there have been as many as 44 shootings, including 28 deaths, in schools and colleges nationwide since the devastating massacre at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., that had millions of Americans demanding change in gun regulations. To place the recent tally in particularly mind-numbing terms, the moms and mayors report highlighted the rate of more than three incidents per month -- and that would include the summertime when schools are essentially gun-free and student-free.

One need not read very deeply between the lines to get the intended message: Our nation's schools continue to be personal battle zones for gun-toting teens and post-teens, and we need to act fast before more young lives are needlessly and senselessly sacrificed to our country's love affair with guns.

What I find so disturbing about the moms and mayors report is not just the tallies of homicides, suicides and other shootings in schools, but the complete lack of any context for interpreting these figures.

As it happens, the numbers assembled by the moms and mayors are not out-of-line with historical patterns, and, in fact, are lower than two decades ago when gang violence was especially problematic at school settings. And, as added perspective, consider that there are more than 50 million school children in America, making the risk of fatality well below one in two million. By comparison, many times more youngsters are killed annually in bicycle accidents. I would trust the moms, if not the mayors, would support a national helmet law as quickly as a gun restriction.

Without a doubt, each gun-related student or teacher fatality is tragic in and of itself, but children are far more at risk outside of school than at school. For most kids, school is a place of great (if not the greatest) safety, offering a level of structure and supervision that many children do not enjoy elsewhere, possibly not even at home.

Let me be clear in embracing the often-stated position that even one death is too many. And I hardly wish to disregard or minimize the suffering and anguish of victims, their families as well as their entire communities that are devastated and traumatized when gunshots disrupt the school day.

However, the suggestion that school shootings are a problem on the rise and in need of immediate resolution tends to promote quick and easy responses that don't work and may make matters worse, instead of more difficult approaches that will indeed improve the climate at schools of all levels.

Posting armed guards at school doors, running children though lockdown drills, and surrounding classrooms with cameras and metal detectors not only fail to prevent some teenager or adult determined to wreak havoc upon innocent children and their dedicated teachers, but they send the wrong and excessively scary message concerning the risk. Overinvestment in visible security can serve as constant reminder to impressionable youngsters that they indeed have a target on their backs.

In the process of trying to protect children's lives, we can easily destroy their sense of safety and ultimately disrupt the learning environment even more than the occasional incident in one of the thousands of schools nationwide. We should instead look toward programs and policies that promote healthy kids and respectful relationships in schools.

I applaud the work of both the moms and the mayors. I admire their passion and generally concur with their positions. However, I find their latest strategy to be a misinformed and misguided scare tactic.

James Alan Fox is a Northeastern University criminologist and co-author ofViolence and Security on Campus: From Preschool through College. He is also a member of USA TODAY's Board of Contributors.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2014/02/16/james-alan-fox-moms-mayors-guns/5486429/

[LibCampFireClub 635]

Nicely written report.The left has been quite successful in convincing the low-information voters that the reason for violence is: legal gun owners, Republicans, Tea Party, and anyone who doesn't like obama.

[lostinblue 1,989]

Nicely written report.The left has been quite successful in convincing the low-information voters that the reason for violence is: legal gun owners, Republicans, Tea Party, and anyone who doesn't like obama.

And every teen that touches a gun will take it to school and kill a few hundred of her classmates.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

And every teen that touches a gun will take it to school and kill a few hundred of her classmates.

and isn't it odd how that never happened back in the day, but yet access and rules on guns were more relaxed. Heck most of the boys in my eight grade class had thier own shot gun or rifle. Never one incident.. not one

But now guns are the problem.

Can people be that stupid to believe that

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I think you don't need anyone to disagree with you, since you assume the opinion of the opposition regardless of what anyone has actually said.

You're a bunch of ignorant zealots. Don't bother with dialogue when you can monologue amongst yourselves.

Edited March 2, 2014 by Papa Lazarou

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

Just got back from the Gun Show. Picked up 1000 rnds of 5.56 .55 grain FMJ

400 rounds of .40 cal 165 grain

A Taurus .380 pocketbook pistol for my wife, and she loves it

A ruger 10/22 in Navy Camo

400 rounds of .380

Several pro gun anti Obama T-shirts

But oddly no .22LR ammo . It seems the Govt is buying most of the ammo now days. Even the IRS . Yes trust your Governemnt

BTW

Reference the Gun Show Loophole. The gun seller got quite a laugh when I told him he did not have to do the background check because this was a gun show.. Yup No loophole at this gun show.

[Ban Hammer 13,395]

Just got back from the Gun Show. Picked up 1000 rnds of 5.56 .55 grain FMJ

400 rounds of .40 cal 165 grain

how much were those 2?

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

how much were those 2?

Paid 220.00 for the 500 rounds of 5.56 ...55 grain

Paid 15.50 for 50 rnds of .40SW 165 GR Plated FMJ $19.00 for the same round 50EA Hollow Point

Paid 21.50 for 50rnds .380 FMJ

Man 22 LR is scarce

Paid over 100 bucks for 1000 rnds online

http://ammoseek.com/

[lostinblue 1,989]

Paid 220.00 for the 500 rounds of 5.56 ...55 grain

Paid 15.50 for 50 rnds of .40SW 165 GR Plated FMJ $19.00 for the same round 50EA Hollow Point

Paid 21.50 for 50rnds .380 FMJ

Man 22 LR is scarce

Paid over 100 bucks for 1000 rnds online

http://ammoseek.com/

The anti-gun people will think you are ready to overthrow the government having that much ammo.

[Ban Hammer 13,395]

Paid 220.00 for the 500 rounds of 5.56 ...55 grain

Paid 15.50 for 50 rnds of .40SW 165 GR Plated FMJ $19.00 for the same round 50EA Hollow Point

Paid 21.50 for 50rnds .380 FMJ

Man 22 LR is scarce

Paid over 100 bucks for 1000 rnds online

http://ammoseek.com/

link bookmarked

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

The anti-gun people will think you are ready to overthrow the government having that much ammo.

Lot of ammo. Lol. That is not a lot

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

There's only one misguided message on guns - the false claim they make our communities safer. They don't. They do the opposite.

[lostinblue 1,989]

There's only one misguided message on guns - the false claim they make our communities safer. They don't. They do the opposite.

They make many people safer. Trouble is you are paranoid you will be shot every time you leave home . ....Perhaps moving to a place where people are not so socially disfunctionate would help.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

They make many people safer. Trouble is you are paranoid you will be shot every time you leave home . ....Perhaps moving to a place where people are not so socially disfunctionate would help.

disfunctionate? Really? Pulling a Palin here because regular English words are not good enough?

Oh, and no, I am not paranoid at all. Which is why I am quite comfortable moving about unarmed. At all times. You gun aficionados, on the other hand, can't seem to beat the paranoia. Some of you even feel the need to pack a piece when going to take a dump. In your own house. That's how paranoid all you gun aficionados are.

Edited March 3, 2014 by Mr. Big Dog