Another school shooting — more dead and injured, many more terrified by the violence. And, in its wake, more demands for
- gun control,
- schools as hardened targets, and
- mental health initiatives.
Oh, and finger-pointing at video games, too.
So what should we do?
- Stop publicizing the names of these school shooters and plastering their faces all over the media.
I’m specifically not calling for any new law or government regulation. These criminals’ names must be publicly available. Let’s not reduce transparency in government one iota. Instead, let’s demand that our favorite media do the public-spirited thing: don’t make these killers personally infamous. I’ve written about this danger, which even the ancients recognized, before.
- Fix the background check database. The main system for preventing bad people from getting guns relies totally on checking gun purchasers against a database that is full of holes.
Late last year, a man convicted of domestic violence and with documented mental health issues passed the background check to purchase the weapon he used to murder 26 people in a Texas church. The Air Force had failed to transmit his criminal record to the FBI. If our elected officials, on both sides of the “gun control” issue, are serious about saving lives, they will concentrate first on making certain the background check database is complete, and systematically updated.
- Give students greater choice.
Being a teenager isn’t easy. The more choice they have in the schools they attend and the type of bullying education they receive, the better — not only for their education, but for their mental well-being, too.
Let’s face it: we cannot prevent all future acts of violence. And should be wary of those who claim they can. Still, we can take action.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
