ASPHYXIUM ZINE

Tuesday, June 4, 2019

Article: "A Solution For Guns In Schools" by Damien Lee Thorr

A Solution For Guns In Schools
Article by Damien Lee Thorr

Many people have been expressing themselves about not liking my idea of guards and metal detectors in schools even though it would save lives and create a multitude of jobs. As long as schools are not protected, more kids will die... is that what people want?
It is unrealistic to think guns will be confiscated from people.
We already have tight security at all airports, arena events and amusement parks around the country such as Disney, Universal, Seaworld, etc. My question is: why do they have a problem with the protection of our youth in schools?
This is quite a sensitive subject but here is my view on it:
Guns...
I am a gun owner. I am a responsible gun owner. I have it for protection of my home and my business.
I hate hearing about many cases such as the Petit case in Cheshire, Ct, where two intruders invaded the Petit family and raped and murdered a mother and her two daughters (the youngest aged 11) and nearly killed the father (who managed to escape in spite of being tied up and having suffered a massive head injury), a well-respected doctor in Connecticut. Had he owned a gun, it is very likely he could have saved his wife and daughters from those two career criminals.
For that reason, I own a weapon and have a legal permit and registration to own and carry that weapon.
However, I also feel that the system is in need of modification since I also feel there are people out there who should not own weapons nor have access to them. The mass shootings across the US that have left numerous people dead is also quite alarming.
For example, we own cars and motorcycles which are registered through a national registry of Vehicle Identification Numbers, which make vehicles easy to trace to people anywhere on the planet. There is NO national registry for fire arms. That should be the very first step in regulating gun laws.
Additionally, I have purchased several weapons and never have I been asked about past criminal history nor any mental health issues. Not to mention, if purchase applications included such questions plus a valid mental health evaluation, nothing would stop a person from deception. This must be fixed also.
Everyone purchasing a weapon must adhere to mandatory training and psychological evaluations and just like obtaining a driver's license, all permit holders must be evaluated every five years or so.
I don't feel that regulating gun laws will ever prevent 100% mass shootings in the future by unstable people or terrorists. There will always be rare tragedies involving gun violence but gun regulations may reduce the number of unstable individuals and criminals from obtaining fire arms.
In all fairness, it is not a wise idea to disarm responsible citizens who own weapons who only wish to protect their loved ones, as I do, since criminals do not abide by the rules and always seem to have guns of all types, with or without tough gun laws.
Eliminating guns is not the answer. Having tougher gun laws (not limited to harsh punishments for crimes committed using fire arms), including a national registry, accountability, mandatory training, mandatory psychological evaluations of anyone desiring to purchase a weapon and a more informative and detailed purchase procedure, is a way to fix things.

A SOLUTION FOR GUNS IN SCHOOLS
We should all present the following to our government officials:
1. Hire armed police officers to patrol each school
2. Place metal detectors at all points of entry for all schools
3. Train officers and train school staff for emergency situations

This will create a multitude of jobs in many areas:
a. more officers hired
b. trainers
c. psychological evaluations
d. uniform manufacturing and sales
e. equipment/accessories manufacturing/sales
This proposal will save countless lives and create numerous jobs while simultaneously rescuing the economy as more people will work in many areas to make this happen.

Damien Lee Thorr is the composer and lead guitarist for the popular, classically influenced and openly atheist/political activist metal band Predator, has authored many essays and editorials for Asphyxium Zine and written he horror-erotica novel “The Vampire Journals”. Check out Predator’s 2011 full length "Born in Blood" at Youtube and visit their official site at http://www.predatortheband.com/.

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