There are many times in a person’s life when they are confronted with fear. Physical danger, moral dilemmas, and emotional distress are just a few of the immediate causations of what is called fear. Bravery is often defined as the suppression of fear (it never is really conquered) and is rightfully acknowledged as a virtue to be developed and encouraged. When faced with a situation involving peril, people can be divided into two groups, those who become brave and those who remain scared. The current debate over providing a safe environment for our school children is such a moment.
Scared people hope and rely on someone else to save and/or rescue him or her from their dilemma. People who become brave seek a solution to their situation themselves. In the ongoing dialogue about providing safety for our children, we see this tendency displayed. Scared people want to defy reality by providing an environment devoid of danger. Such instinct fails to recognize that evil in people is the real danger, not their tools. Such attitude and action is immoral, because it necessitates placing our collective security upon law enforcement alone. This attitude declares that the lives and safety of law enforcement is worth less than our own since we are not prepared to defend ourselves but demand law enforcement do it for us. This writer rejects that position. Declaring that the training and arming of teachers is “lunacy” is not only immoral, but also insulting. Other than parents, no one is more prepared, willing and devoted to defending our school children than their teachers. Should they not be allowed to utilize effective tools for that brave task? (Full disclosure: This Vietnam veteran spent 42 years as a public high school teacher)
Since the discussion of children’s safety is on the table, isn’t it also time to discuss something that kills almost 1 million children every year? This nation engages in infanticide by abortion, yet we are consumed with the idea that reducing the inalienable right of self-defense will make children safer.
John Fuller
Whitefish