CAL THOMAS COMMENTARY MARCH 16, 2018
MANY OF THE TEENAGERS WHO LEFT THEIR SCHOOLS ON TUESDAY TO MARCH IN THE STREETS FOR AN END TO VIOLENCE WITH GUNS WERE UNDOUBTEDLY SINCERE. MANY OF THEM HAD SIGNS AND CHANTS THAT SOUNDED LIKE THEY HAD BEEN PROGRAMMED BY RADICALS FROM THE 1960S.
IF PASSING NEW LAWS – WHICH THE KIDS ASKED FOR – WOULD WORK TO END SCHOOL SHOOTINGS, I MIGHT BE FOR IT. BUT NO REPORTER ASKED THESE STUDENTS WHAT LAW COULD BE PASSED WITH ENOUGH TEETH IN IT TO DETER SOMEONE COMMITTED TO BREAKING THE LAW. THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF LAWS ON THE BOOKS AND THE PRISONS ARE FULL OF PEOPLE WHO BROKE THEM. LAW-ABIDING PEOPLE, BY DEFINITION, OBEY LAWS. LAW BREAKERS DO NOT. THIS IS THE PROBLEM.
NEWER SCHOOLS ARE BEING BUILT WITH BETTER SAFETY COMPONENTS. CODED KEY CARDS AND BUZZERS ARE BEING INTRODUCED SO THAT ONLY AUTHORIZED PEOPLE CAN ENTER THE SCHOOLS. ONE LAW THAT WOULD HELP IS ONE THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE WITH MENTAL DISORDERS TO BE PLACED IN A HOSPITAL OR OTHER INSTITUTION WHERE THEY CAN BE TREATED. THE MARCHES WON’T CHANGE ANYTHING. THESE OTHER APPROACHES HAVE A BETTER CHANCE. I’M CAL THOMAS IN WASHINGTON.
