Waking The Sleeping Giant On Gun Control: The PTA

[SecularMotion]

Last week, my wife and I were shocked to hear about an incident that took place at the Arlington elementary school that our daughter attended last year. During a heated confrontation with the principal, a father displayed his gun permit. Local police later removed a hunting rifle from the father’s possession. He is not allowed on school property, other than to drop off and pick up his son.

I suppose we should feel reassured by this. We don’t.

Instead, like most of you, my wife and I feel a mounting sense of horror and bewilderment at the growing number of school shootings in America. In the 18 months since the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, there have been 74 additional shootings, or nearly one per week.

Over the last four years, school shootings have more than tripled, from eight in 2010 to 28 last year. We’re at 38 for the first half of 2014. The state with the highest number of shootings — 10 — was Georgia, which just happens to have passed a sweeping pro-gun law this year. Imagine that.

http://cognoscenti.wbur.org/2014/06/17/parents-should-take-the-lead-on-gun-control-steve-almond