There has been yet another school shooting today, in Indiana this time, committed by a teenager. Since Santa Fe, Texas last week, there has been a lot of talk again about how bullying may have played into it...that one of the girls killed had turned the kid down twice, and then embarrassed him in class when he persisted. I'm about certain, in this Indiana case, bullying is going to come up again.
So, let's talk about this bullying aspect to the 4 shooters in 15 days that have been teenagers!
Bullying has been going on for decades! I'm 45, and I can still remember being bullied in school, as I'm sure most of us can remember being bullied at some point in school. If you weren't bullied, chances are you were the one doing the bullying. Stealing lunch money, giving wedgies...there are many forms of bullying that have happened over the years. Bullying has been the focus of so many storylines in movies and such...some serious, some funny. I remember watching Revenge of the Nerds, and routing for those "nerds" because I could relate to them!
At first, I was picked on to the point of going home crying for my acne. It started at a young age for me, and it was pretty bad. Can't recall how many times I heard the term "pizza face". I would go home and cry...begging my mom to help me by taking me to a doctor, or allowing me to at least wear some sort of foundation makeup to try to cover it up. She wouldn't take me to a dermatologist. Instead, I heard over and over that acne was just a part of growing up! Mom also stood firm to her "no makeup until you are 15" rule...so no relief for me their, either.
On top of that, I was always what I call...well...quirky. I was attracted to computers at an early age, and I was just good at them. I was always a "bit of a nerd" you could say...having made all A's in all my years of grade school. But I also found myself in a place where I was very different! I ended up going to school in small town Texas. Back then, that meant that this very small population was mostly "country"...Roper boots, jeans, etc. And then there was me...punk rock/new wave, granny boots instead of cowboy boots, skinny pants instead of Wrangler jeans, all black some days, crazy neon colors the next, earrings never matched...listening to Duran Duran, The Cure, Siouxsie Sioux, and a host of other MTV 120 Minute favorites, while the rest of the school listened to George Strait, Reba McIntyer, Randy Travis, and the likes. I was the odd-ball, and it was made known to me!
We had a group in school that to this day I affectionately call "The Misfits". We were the kids who really didn't fit in. We were the one-offs that in some larger school somewhere else, we may have found a group of kids just like us...but not here where a grade averaged 50 students or less. We had everyone. The girl who had a terrible scar on her chest that looked like you could just lace her up, because that is what they had to do when she was younger, they had to go in to work on her heart so many times. The guy that everyone was certain was gay, but no one knew for sure. They guy who was years older than us...because he had failed grades too many times (who did end up being the "diva" I know and love still to this day). While everyone was in their cliques in the morning gossiping about the world, you could find us on the floor in a hallway somewhere playing Uno! We were called names. We were pushed around. Sometimes one of us got beat up.
Now, I can't speak for the others, but NOT ONCE did I ever consider walking into the school and shooting it up! I watched horror movies with as much blood and gore as you could imagine! My punk rock music wasn't the "nicest" thing to listen to, for sure! Lots of screaming about anarchy and the likes. My favorite show was Miami Vice, which every week they were in to drugs, and shooting up stuff, and fights, etc. We didn't have the same video games...I was no stranger to Centipede. But even still, I never even considered shooting up a school. Spreading a rumor as revenge, maybe...but never shooting up the place!
So, what has changed from the 1980's until now? Okay...so video games may have gotten more realistic...possibly desensitizing kids to violence. But for decades, kids' behavior has been blamed on media of some sort, and we have not seen terror like we are seeing today. You can't blame it on abortions, either. Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973. Before that, women were getting back alley abortions, using coat hangers, etc. to get rid of unwanted pregnancy. We had the "Free Love" era of the 60's along women burning their bras. I'm certain there were plenty of abortions back then. Still, you didn't see people, or kids, trying to shoot up a school every week. Even just a few decade or a few years ago...this wasn't as common an occurrence as it is NOW!
What has changed?! Try the climate of America! While bullying used to be something you mainly saw in the school yards, and grown folk mostly acted like grown folk, that isn't the case any longer! Sure, there were the shouts of racial slurs on the streets, or in the work place. There were environments that felt hostile. However, most people could go to their homes, and that was their safe place. It isn't that way any longer!!! We have elected officials bullying the media, various people groups, etc. on TV and social media every day!! Every day there is another list of hurtful statements said about a people. Then, have this media outlet spewing hate about one side, and the other media outlet spewing hate about he other.....hate hate hate hate hate! Everywhere...hate!
To add fire, the skin of society has gotten thinner, in general. There are many legit complaints out there, but when you have a political commentator on national TV complaining about getting water thrown on her, because of her past hateful comments on air. When you have a kid who can't simply walk away from a girl who won't go out with him, and has to pester her to the point of being embarrassed in front of a whole class, and later coming to school with a gun killing her and several others. You have a President getting butt hurt over something the New York Times or CNN said about him, or about some football players kneeling to protest police brutality and unequal treatment of people of color...turning to social media for days with rants, when we all know he has better things to do! This same President then turns around and calls impoverished countries shitholes, undocumented immigrants rapists, and a variety of other hateful comments.
Yes, bullying may be at play here, but it is because as a country, we are all bombarded by it every day! It is the new social norm!!! You can't even have an intellectual debate on social media any longer without the name calling starting. Say you support BLM or gun reform...out comes the "libtard" comments. You want to know where these kids are getting all this hate and violence from? It isn't the media. It isn't video games. It is the very people who are raising them!
Friday, May 25, 2018
Monday, May 21, 2018
My response to GOP gun control talking points
Saw this article today, and it left me with some thoughts:
6 GOP talking points that show why the gun control debate isn't changing anytime soon
1. Violent Video Games
How many times have we heard media blamed for society's behavior. Rock and roll music, rap music, violent movies and television shows, violent video games, etc. Hell, they have even burned books they deemed damaging to accepted ideals of society! I've played and I play plenty violent video games. I listen to rock music...rap not so much. I love horror, thriller, and action movies. Yet, I have no desire to go shoot up a school or a concert! When someone pisses me off, I don't wish death upon them. If anything, I'll "door slam" the person if I deem them to toxic to my life (i.e., cutting them off...no communication or communicating with only when necessary).
At the same time, I raised two kids, who watch the same type of movies, listened to the same type of music, and played the same type of video games. Oh, and I also spanked them! Neither one of them grew up to be violent people!
2. Abortion
You know the Conservatives are going to throw abortion in there somehow!! Though, I can agree that fatherless homes are a contributing factor, but abortion? You know what will help us see decreases in both abortions and fatherless homes? A decrease in unwanted pregnancies. You know the best way to limit unwanted pregnancies? Nope, it's not preaching abstinance! It is providing free or low cost birth control to any woman who wants it! This has been proven in other countries, you know. It's not rocket science! The cost to provide birth control will be much cheaper than it costs now for SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, etc. for children born into poverty situations, which in many cases are women where the father split during pregnancy and they are trying to make ends meet with a kid on their own!
3. Irresponsible Gun Owners
Okay...on this point, I can agree. The last 3 shootings involved teens who somehow got their hands on their parents', or another family member's, guns. We need to start holding these parents and such accountable for not properly securing their guns. Trigger locks are not that expensive. Lock boxes, locking cabinets, gun safes...we need to start holding people accountable who's guns are used in crimes, because they did not have them properly secured!
4. Not Enough Armed Teachers
Are you kidding me with this? How about not enough campus police?! Why do we have to put more responsibility on teachers than they already have for their crappy pay? We need to quit cutting budgets when it comes to campus security! We protect money and valuables with more security than we protect our children. There are two guards to a small armored truck, but many school campuses in this country are LUCKY to have ONE armed resource officer! There are even more campuses who don't even have any dedicated resource officers!
5. Too Many School Entrances
On this one, I can somewhat agree. We do need to limit the number of entrances to schools. Campuses should be closed, meaning that even parents aren't allowed to wander around looking for their child. The problem isn't "number of doors", as codes require a certain number of exits for emergency purposes. However, said exits can be one-way...meaning no outside hardware, open from the inside only, and it would be smart to even have cameras in place at the exits so that a...wait for it...security officer possibly watching the cameras could identify someone trying to break into these doors. Will it cost money? Yes....but isn't the cost worth protecting our children? As I've already pointed out, we protect our money and valuables better than we do our children. Even a bank may have many emergency exits, but only one entrance!
6. Decline of Religion in Schools
Now, this one, I call total BULLSHIT! Look at the world. Religion seems to cause more violence than peace! These kids don't need Jesus! These kids need discipline...PERIOD! Parents aren't allowed to parent, and many don't even want to parent. What happened to the days when kids would get a good butt tanning for being disrespectful to their parents or lying? Oh, yeah...Dr. Spock and the whole crew of "anti-spanking" people! Let me tell you, I was no stranger to a butt tanning, and I'm not violent! If anything, it caused a condition called RESPECT FOR OTHERS. When my kids were younger (they are 23 and 27 now), I can recall picking them up from school. A few times, I recall seeing children (yes, children...not teens...this was elementary school) screaming and cussing at their parents...yelling things like, "What are you going to do about it? Nothing...that's right nothing, because I'll call CPS!" We are in a time where too many kids are running the show at home instead of the parents! I recall something I heard my mom say when I was growing up...and she was talking to others about parenting. She talked about how she could take me over to someone's house, and I wouldn't mess with anything. I would sit and play with my toys quietly, and people were amazed. My mom pointed out that she never put anything up. If I reached for something I shouldn't, I would get a little smack on my hand...that the way she saw it, I came into HER world, and she wasn't going to rearrange it for me...I had to learn how to live in it. I raised my kids in a similar fashion...I kept my eyes on them and paid attention to what they were doing, and if they were doing or touching something they shouldn't, they were corrected. My things were MY THINGS, and I didn't just hand my things over to shut them up or keep them occupied (can't tell you how many times I see kids scream for a parent's cell phone, and the parent hands it over to just shut them up). I wasn't raised with religion...we didn't go to church when I was growing up. One thing is for certain, though...I was raised! Even with my parents divorced, they stood united, and what rules existed in one house existed in the other. I was taught respect, manners, and things like it was not appropriate to hit or hurt another person just because I didn't agree with them or didn't like them! Decline of religion? How about decline of PARENTING?! When you are in the age of free-range parenting, buying kids whatever and not making them earn things, "talking" to kids when they do wrong instead of laying down some hard consequences, etc., it is no wonder we have the problems we have now!
It goes on to quote: "It's not about the guns," Patrick said on ABC on Sunday. "It's about us."
Yes, and no. See, in this country right now, we have a gun obsession! Less than 1/3 of Americans own guns, but there are more privately owned guns in our population than there are people! To be accurate, the number of privately owned guns works out to 1.5 guns per person, if everyone owned a gun! Yes, it may be a "people problem", but with guns so easily accessible, it is so easy for someone who wants to do evil things to get their hands on one. Hell, all the 3 teens in the last couple of weeks had to do was walk into their parents' bedroom and grab it out of the drawer or cabinet, it seems. We have everything from single shot, lower powered rifles to 30 round magazine, high powered rifles. It's a simple rule that even economics uses...the higher the supply, the easier to acquire! And, manufacturers crank more and more out every day! Add all the rhetoric the NRA pumps out, and you have a recipe for disaster!
Also, to note....if you pay attention to the loudest supporters of the 2nd Amendment, it appears most "responsible gun owners" are CHRISTIAN CONSERVATIVES! Kind of blows that "decline of religion" argument. Seems the most religious are the ones buying the most guns and screaming about their rights to own as many and of whatever kind they want...because, you know...that evil government may come out to get you one day. All those guns are going to be really effective against tanks, biological weapons, drones, missiles, etc.
6 GOP talking points that show why the gun control debate isn't changing anytime soon
1. Violent Video Games
How many times have we heard media blamed for society's behavior. Rock and roll music, rap music, violent movies and television shows, violent video games, etc. Hell, they have even burned books they deemed damaging to accepted ideals of society! I've played and I play plenty violent video games. I listen to rock music...rap not so much. I love horror, thriller, and action movies. Yet, I have no desire to go shoot up a school or a concert! When someone pisses me off, I don't wish death upon them. If anything, I'll "door slam" the person if I deem them to toxic to my life (i.e., cutting them off...no communication or communicating with only when necessary).
At the same time, I raised two kids, who watch the same type of movies, listened to the same type of music, and played the same type of video games. Oh, and I also spanked them! Neither one of them grew up to be violent people!
2. Abortion
You know the Conservatives are going to throw abortion in there somehow!! Though, I can agree that fatherless homes are a contributing factor, but abortion? You know what will help us see decreases in both abortions and fatherless homes? A decrease in unwanted pregnancies. You know the best way to limit unwanted pregnancies? Nope, it's not preaching abstinance! It is providing free or low cost birth control to any woman who wants it! This has been proven in other countries, you know. It's not rocket science! The cost to provide birth control will be much cheaper than it costs now for SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, etc. for children born into poverty situations, which in many cases are women where the father split during pregnancy and they are trying to make ends meet with a kid on their own!
3. Irresponsible Gun Owners
Okay...on this point, I can agree. The last 3 shootings involved teens who somehow got their hands on their parents', or another family member's, guns. We need to start holding these parents and such accountable for not properly securing their guns. Trigger locks are not that expensive. Lock boxes, locking cabinets, gun safes...we need to start holding people accountable who's guns are used in crimes, because they did not have them properly secured!
4. Not Enough Armed Teachers
Are you kidding me with this? How about not enough campus police?! Why do we have to put more responsibility on teachers than they already have for their crappy pay? We need to quit cutting budgets when it comes to campus security! We protect money and valuables with more security than we protect our children. There are two guards to a small armored truck, but many school campuses in this country are LUCKY to have ONE armed resource officer! There are even more campuses who don't even have any dedicated resource officers!
5. Too Many School Entrances
On this one, I can somewhat agree. We do need to limit the number of entrances to schools. Campuses should be closed, meaning that even parents aren't allowed to wander around looking for their child. The problem isn't "number of doors", as codes require a certain number of exits for emergency purposes. However, said exits can be one-way...meaning no outside hardware, open from the inside only, and it would be smart to even have cameras in place at the exits so that a...wait for it...security officer possibly watching the cameras could identify someone trying to break into these doors. Will it cost money? Yes....but isn't the cost worth protecting our children? As I've already pointed out, we protect our money and valuables better than we do our children. Even a bank may have many emergency exits, but only one entrance!
6. Decline of Religion in Schools
Now, this one, I call total BULLSHIT! Look at the world. Religion seems to cause more violence than peace! These kids don't need Jesus! These kids need discipline...PERIOD! Parents aren't allowed to parent, and many don't even want to parent. What happened to the days when kids would get a good butt tanning for being disrespectful to their parents or lying? Oh, yeah...Dr. Spock and the whole crew of "anti-spanking" people! Let me tell you, I was no stranger to a butt tanning, and I'm not violent! If anything, it caused a condition called RESPECT FOR OTHERS. When my kids were younger (they are 23 and 27 now), I can recall picking them up from school. A few times, I recall seeing children (yes, children...not teens...this was elementary school) screaming and cussing at their parents...yelling things like, "What are you going to do about it? Nothing...that's right nothing, because I'll call CPS!" We are in a time where too many kids are running the show at home instead of the parents! I recall something I heard my mom say when I was growing up...and she was talking to others about parenting. She talked about how she could take me over to someone's house, and I wouldn't mess with anything. I would sit and play with my toys quietly, and people were amazed. My mom pointed out that she never put anything up. If I reached for something I shouldn't, I would get a little smack on my hand...that the way she saw it, I came into HER world, and she wasn't going to rearrange it for me...I had to learn how to live in it. I raised my kids in a similar fashion...I kept my eyes on them and paid attention to what they were doing, and if they were doing or touching something they shouldn't, they were corrected. My things were MY THINGS, and I didn't just hand my things over to shut them up or keep them occupied (can't tell you how many times I see kids scream for a parent's cell phone, and the parent hands it over to just shut them up). I wasn't raised with religion...we didn't go to church when I was growing up. One thing is for certain, though...I was raised! Even with my parents divorced, they stood united, and what rules existed in one house existed in the other. I was taught respect, manners, and things like it was not appropriate to hit or hurt another person just because I didn't agree with them or didn't like them! Decline of religion? How about decline of PARENTING?! When you are in the age of free-range parenting, buying kids whatever and not making them earn things, "talking" to kids when they do wrong instead of laying down some hard consequences, etc., it is no wonder we have the problems we have now!
It goes on to quote: "It's not about the guns," Patrick said on ABC on Sunday. "It's about us."
Yes, and no. See, in this country right now, we have a gun obsession! Less than 1/3 of Americans own guns, but there are more privately owned guns in our population than there are people! To be accurate, the number of privately owned guns works out to 1.5 guns per person, if everyone owned a gun! Yes, it may be a "people problem", but with guns so easily accessible, it is so easy for someone who wants to do evil things to get their hands on one. Hell, all the 3 teens in the last couple of weeks had to do was walk into their parents' bedroom and grab it out of the drawer or cabinet, it seems. We have everything from single shot, lower powered rifles to 30 round magazine, high powered rifles. It's a simple rule that even economics uses...the higher the supply, the easier to acquire! And, manufacturers crank more and more out every day! Add all the rhetoric the NRA pumps out, and you have a recipe for disaster!
Also, to note....if you pay attention to the loudest supporters of the 2nd Amendment, it appears most "responsible gun owners" are CHRISTIAN CONSERVATIVES! Kind of blows that "decline of religion" argument. Seems the most religious are the ones buying the most guns and screaming about their rights to own as many and of whatever kind they want...because, you know...that evil government may come out to get you one day. All those guns are going to be really effective against tanks, biological weapons, drones, missiles, etc.
Friday, May 18, 2018
Just so much wrong...
Today's school shooting highlights so many issues in our country right now.
First of all...not going to rehash my positions on gun reform...but 3 school shooting incidents in 8 days is a problem, people!! Here we have at least another 9 children and a teacher dead...more to add to the toll. How many more of these before Congress wakes up and tells the NRA to stuff it, and pass some legislation with reasonable measures to help bring an end to these tragedies?!
Second...how are these kids getting these fucking guns?! I was just reading this morning that the gun the 19-year-old used in Dixon, Illinois (where thankfully no one but the shooter was injured) belonged to his mother. It was a 9mm semi-auto that she purchased in 2012. Now, when these "kids" get guns from their parents to do these terrible things, why are the parents not being held responsible, as well. Okay, sure...the Dixon shooter technically was not a kid, but the mother obviously did not have the gun properly secured if he got hold of it and used it in this shooting! Trigger locks start as low as $10, folks, and renders a gun unusable unless the lock can be broken. With all the talk about "not taking rights away from RESPONSIBLE gun owners", how is it being a responsible gun owner if you do not have your weapon properly secured when not in use?
And finally....and it is a matter of time before this one comes up again...at least two of the shooters in the last 8 days were white. The 3rd (Palmdale shooter) is unknown, as they are not releasing many details due to him being a minor. Important thing to note...all three shooters are in custody! This has been brought up before, especially with the Parkland shooter (who was white). So, you are white, and you just shoot up a school (or at least attempt to), but you are taken into custody alive. However, a black man holding a cell phone in his own yard after being suspected of breaking into cars is killed rather than taken into custody?! A black man pulled over for a traffic violation is killed, rather than taken into custody? A black man selling CDs in front of a store is killed, rather than being taken into custody? Am I the only one who sees the crazy in this?
First of all...not going to rehash my positions on gun reform...but 3 school shooting incidents in 8 days is a problem, people!! Here we have at least another 9 children and a teacher dead...more to add to the toll. How many more of these before Congress wakes up and tells the NRA to stuff it, and pass some legislation with reasonable measures to help bring an end to these tragedies?!
Second...how are these kids getting these fucking guns?! I was just reading this morning that the gun the 19-year-old used in Dixon, Illinois (where thankfully no one but the shooter was injured) belonged to his mother. It was a 9mm semi-auto that she purchased in 2012. Now, when these "kids" get guns from their parents to do these terrible things, why are the parents not being held responsible, as well. Okay, sure...the Dixon shooter technically was not a kid, but the mother obviously did not have the gun properly secured if he got hold of it and used it in this shooting! Trigger locks start as low as $10, folks, and renders a gun unusable unless the lock can be broken. With all the talk about "not taking rights away from RESPONSIBLE gun owners", how is it being a responsible gun owner if you do not have your weapon properly secured when not in use?
And finally....and it is a matter of time before this one comes up again...at least two of the shooters in the last 8 days were white. The 3rd (Palmdale shooter) is unknown, as they are not releasing many details due to him being a minor. Important thing to note...all three shooters are in custody! This has been brought up before, especially with the Parkland shooter (who was white). So, you are white, and you just shoot up a school (or at least attempt to), but you are taken into custody alive. However, a black man holding a cell phone in his own yard after being suspected of breaking into cars is killed rather than taken into custody?! A black man pulled over for a traffic violation is killed, rather than taken into custody? A black man selling CDs in front of a store is killed, rather than being taken into custody? Am I the only one who sees the crazy in this?
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