A Realist Looks At Gun Violence
                                                                              By J.D. Thomas
 
First and foremost, we need to understand the argument being made regarding "assault rifles". The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines assault rifle as "any of various intermediate-range, magazine-fed military rifles that can be set for automatic or semi-automatic fire". This disqualifies the AR-15 from being considered an assault rifle as it cannot be set for automatic fire, without modification. Merriam-Webster further defines assault rifle as "a rifle that resembles a military assault rifle but is designed to allow only semi-automatic fire".  So if it "resembles" one...then it must be one, even if it doesn't shoot like one, right?  I don't think so.

The gun is not the issue.
Contrary to popular belief, the AR in AR-15 does NOT stand for "automatic rifle". An AR-15 is not an automatic weapon nor is it a "machine gun".  An AR15 is a semi-automatic firearm that was first introduced in the 1950's. What does semi-automatic mean? Obviously there are some that don't know and have assumed that this is the same as an automatic weapon as you'll hear it referred that way, often. You really should know the difference. A semi-automatic weapon means that each time the trigger is squeezed, a single projectile travels down the barrel and is expelled from the firearm, whether it be a semi-automatic handgun or a semi-automatic rifle, such as the AR-15. A single squeeze of the trigger does NOT fire multiple projectiles from the firearm. One squeeze...one projectile. Pretty simple. Those that argue differently obviously do not have the knowledge of firearms. Handguns like a 9mm, a 40 caliber and a 45 caliber are all semi-automatic firearms and act the same way. One squeeze of the "bang bang switch" (trigger) for one bullet down the "pipe" (barrel). Breaking it down to the simplest form is this. The AR-15 may have a 30 round magazine. To empty the magazine, the trigger must be squeezed 30 times. I have a 9mm handgun with a 15 capacity magazine with 3 additional magazines, totaling 60 rounds. To fire the same number of rounds from the AR-15, you would have to change the magazine after 30 rounds. I would have to change it after every 15 rounds fired. To change it on my 9mm, after the last round is fired, the slide locks in the back position and then I push the magazine release button beside the handgrip and the magazine drops out automatically. I then push the next magazine into the well and release the slide forward and the weapon is ready to fire. You can easily fire 30 rounds from a semi-automatic handgun in less than 30 seconds.  About the same amount of time to fire 30 rounds from an AR-15.  
 
The school is not the issue.                                                                                         
I went to public school in the 60' and 70's. We had guns back then. I come from an area that is popular among hunters. Many had gun racks in the back window of their pickup trucks and these gun racks were often seen equipped with rifles and shotguns. We had people who scheduled their vacations around the first day of hunting season and on that same day; attendance was always lower for students who were out hunting. We didn't have fences around the schools or metal detectors when you entered. Back then, we didn't even have School Resource Officers. As a matter of fact, we rarely saw a Police Officer at school. We didn't need them. We had no teachers that were "armed" and we didn't need them to be.  Teachers were allowed and encouraged to discipline us if we were out of line. I'm not talking about being abused; I'm talking about being disciplined. If our behavior was bad enough, after we were disciplined, we were sent home with a note for our parents that had to be signed and brought back to school the following day so the teacher would know that our parents saw the note.  Once home, you were disciplined again.   What we didn't have back then were people going into our schools and shooting our classmates.  The only incident I can even remember from then was in 1966 at the University of Texas when a gunman opened fire from an observation deck onto the students below. He had a variety of rifles, handguns, a shotgun and even a knife. He did NOT have any automatic weapons. He killed 14 people in 90 minutes.     
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Politics is not the issue.
We had both Republican and Democratic Presidents during the period I went to school. We had a Congress that at times had Democrat and Republican majorities. We had our political scandals and we also had a war in Vietnam that was unpopular and very concerning to the American people.  Our politicians then also had difficulties reaching across the aisle just as they do now.  
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Gun laws are not the issue.
We had gun laws back then. We didn't have background checks or waiting periods before we could purchase a firearm.  If you were of legal age, you went inside the gun shop and you purchased the gun you wanted to buy. It was that simple. Gun laws are more strict now than ever before.
 
The NRA is not the issue.
We had the NRA back then. The NRA has been in existence since the 1870's. The NRA has always been very active regarding training in the handling of firearms and firearms safety. The NRA does not advocate gun violence or mass shootings. The NRA advocates the 2nd. Amendment and, like many other organizations, the NRA has lobbyists in Washington who work with the elected politicians, no matter the political party.                                                                                                                                

So what is the issue? What can we do to prevent mass shootings in schools, churches, theaters, concert venues or any other place where large numbers gather?  Unfortunately, not much. Nothing will prevent this 100%. If a person has the desire to cause this type of mass casualty and is serious about it, he or she will find a way to carry it out whether they use a gun, truck, plane, bomb or any other weapon that will suit their need.

So what has changed?  Simply answered. Society. We have changed.
Back then, we had never heard of the term "fake news" and when Walter Cronkite or Huntley & Brinkley spoke, we were pretty sure that their reporting was accurate. I understand that media is a business and whoever gets the "scoop" first, gets the story. However, it seems as though now it's a race to the finish line, forgetting that they have to stay on the track. It's like "we'll report it first and get the actual facts later". The shooter at any of the schools, Malls, Movie Theaters, etc doesn't deserve to have his photo on the news. Who cares what this ass-hat looks like? We need to concentrate on the victims and the survivors and not give the shooter his 15 minutes of fame. Making him an instant icon makes him live in infamy forever. For example, let's say there is someone who views themselves as unpopular or unattractive who may also have low-self esteem or just considered an outcast. He decides to go after those who have shunned him or who are more popular than he is. Whether he lives or dies in the attack, in a matter of moments, he will be known worldwide by his name and by his photo. Don't believe me? Back in November of 1963, President John Kennedy was assassinated allegedly by Lee Harvey Oswald. After capture, Oswald was being escorted in front of the media (what we now call "the perp walk"). During the walk, Jack Ruby runs towards Oswald and fires his revolver into the belly of Oswald. The photos of Oswald and Ruby that are still the most popular today, over 54 years later, are the photos of Oswald posing in his yard holding an AK-47 and the photo of him being shot which also include Ruby shooting him. Two assassins whose names and photos will forever live in history.
 
We didn't have Social Media. Sure, we had bullying back then but, at the end of the school day; it was over, at least until the next day. If you were bullied or called names, you couldn't wait for the school day to end and longed for the day when school was out for the summer. You knew you would get at least somewhat of a reprieve from the torment. Today, it continues on social media and it makes it difficult to escape it. There are so many social media outlets that I can't even begin to name them all. Rather than people stepping up to help someone in need or to resolve a problem, people are too busy "going live" so they can post the videos on Facebook or some other outlet. This also glorifies those who are creating the problem and is another means for them to be popular. They tend to forget that when they take photos of themselves wearing body armor and holding guns, drugs and money and then post those same photos online, they're going to be seen again one day in Court. This will not bode well for them.  The internet is simultaneously the best thing that has ever happened and the worst thing that has ever happened.
 
The family dynamic has changed. Back then, we ate supper together, gathered around the table and ate as a family. We had discussions of the day's events, whether it is of the kids or the parents. Suppertime was a time to get together every day, at least for a few minutes, to be together. Parents were not our "best friends" and we, the kids, were not the "best friends" of our parents. It disturbs me today when I hear a parent say "My daughter is my best friend" or a son says "My Dad is my best friend". Really? I loved both my Mother and my Father and we were very friendly but, they were not my best friend and I was not theirs. There were things that I would never talk to them about and I know there were things that they wouldn't talk to me about. Perfect. That's the way I think it should be. I didn't need to know all of the darkest secrets and I damn sure wasn't going to share everything about me to them. If I had, I'd probably still be "grounded". Parents need friends with common interests, as do the children. Also, if Mom or Dad is your best friend, when you've done something wrong and deserve to be punished, it makes it pretty tough for them to do that. Parents need to go back to being parents and raising the kids in a way that teaches them to respect other people and to be kind to one another. Parents need to stop being "friends". I love my daughter and we are friendly with each other but, she always knew that if she screwed up, she was going to be held accountable at a level comparable to whatever she did wrong. I've never had to say to her "this hurts me more than it hurts you" because if I did, then I'm not doing something right. She needs to feel the repercussions of her actions. If I had to put her on restriction for a couple of weeks, that is exactly what I did but, I can promise you that it never hurt me more than it hurt her. I could still use the phone, stereo, television and, I could come out of my room whenever I wanted to come out.                                                                                                                                                 
We were never given "participation trophies". We were taught that if our team lost or came in last place that it meant that the other team or teams were just better than we were. We were taught to accept our defeat with honor and integrity, holding our heads up high knowing that we tried our best, as we congratulated our opponents. If we sucked as a team, we knew we sucked as a team and if we wanted a trophy, we knew we had to work and practice harder so that we wouldn't suck as bad. The important thing is that we were taught that sometimes, life isn't always fair.
We never had ceremonies when we "graduated" elementary school. We didn't wear a "cap and gown" until we graduated High School. On the last day of school in our final year of elementary school, we looked on the back of our report cards and saw "Promoted" and that meant the following September, we were bound for a new school. In my case, I would go from Flora M. Hill Elementary School to the Colonial Heights Junior High School. After the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grades there, I would then go to High School where I would graduate and wear a cap and gown and have graduation ceremonies for the very first time. Graduation is a rite of passage.  
          
Video games have made such a huge impact on our society. I remember being stationed at the Naval Station in Puerto Rico when someone introduced me to "Pong". What an amazing game. We would be mesmerized for hours playing that ridiculous video game on our television. Looking back at that game, we realize how simple it really was but, at that time, it was something that we had never experienced before. Now, the action is realistic and graphic in current video games. Many games today revolve around gun violence, killing and criminal acts. Video games show blood spatter and body parts being blown off as the characters are shot. Video games are different than real life. In life, we don't get extra strength or additional life points when we're shot.  These games promote killing and violence and may very well carry a negative impact on the kids and young adults that are playing them.
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Music. Sure, we had some suggestive lyrics back in the day but so much of today's music promotes violence and mistreatment of women, killing of Police Officers as well as those of other cultures or religions. Music speaks of retribution and retaliation and how to handle a situation where someone has done you wrong. 

What is the answer to stop mass shootings? That's a good question. Unfortunately, it seems to have become the norm and although when they happen, we are shocked and disgusted by it...temporarily. After a few weeks, the actions slide from the headlines and everyone goes back to their normal live until the next one. We've all heard of the countless suggestions to rid us of this type of activity but, as I said before, if someone is hell bent on doing it...they'll figure out a way to carry it out. Anytime we go into a public place we are at risk of some knucklehead carrying out his secret agenda. But be honest. Are we not a risk climbing into our cars and driving to these public places? Sure we are. We are at risk with everything we do. Granted, we can certainly take precautions to lower the risks but, there is no fool proof plan.

We label everyone that carries out these actions as "mentally ill" but, are they all mentally ill? Of course not. It's just easier to blame the mentally ill because then we can blame a failed system that allowed the person to purchase a firearm. We blame the health care industry for not allowing proper treatment of these individuals. We tend to forget the number of guns on the streets that were obtained by burglaries or theft. We just automatically assume that every gun out there was legally obtained. Not the case. It may have been initially but, there are plenty of stolen guns on the street and can be obtained so much easier than buying them legally.
Theaters, shopping malls and other venues. Okay, at some we have armed security and others we don't. So we go to the local Mall on a Saturday afternoon and shop among the masses. There are no restrictions regarding entry/exit. Anyone can come in and, if a gunman enters with a desire to kill, he has a soft target. Before he can be stopped, if he can be stopped, he can do a lot of damage and injure/kill a lot of people. He can enter the theater within the Mall and under the cover of darkness, can potentially blend in or carry out more damage. An AR-15 semi-automatic rifle or a semi-automatic handgun isn't necessary to carry out that action.  As a matter of fact, a 5-shot revolver with extra speed wheels can kill a lot of people. By the time the police get there and locate the shooter (if he's still present) a lot of people could have been killed. In that situation, as hard as it is for some to swallow this tidbit of information, your best bet to neutralize the gunman is a trained citizen who is licensed to carry.

Arming our teachers. Really?  I really hate to burst the proverbial bubble but, teachers don't get into the profession to be trained and armed at school. It may sound good or look good on paper but, let's think about this. A gunman comes into the school and heads into the bathroom where he removes his weapons of choice from his duffle bag and proceeds down the hallway and begins firing at his fellow students and teachers. Now we have a mess on our hands. We have students running and scrambling to take cover (unless they're standing in the open to capture the moment with their cell phones). People are running everywhere and now we introduce an armed teacher into the equation. As students scurry, we're expecting this teacher to take a stance and get a clean shot, meaning no other innocents that could be hit by a stray bullet. What do you think the chances are of that? We obviously picture that this scenario would be like the old west with a gunman facing a teacher and the quickest draw with the truest shot will be victorious. Not going to happen. Remember, this shooting scenario will involve several hundred innocent students and teachers. Certainly not a good shooting situation. Now, let's take that one step further. The above scenario takes place after the gunman has entered the school. Students and staff are immediately at a disadvantage.
Back when I was in the Navy, we were in The Persian Gulf when the Americans were held hostage in Iran. Also while we were there, Iran and Iraq decided to go to war with each other, obviously thinking that we didn't have enough to deal with. Although it was not OUR war, we were just off the coastline. We never knew when or if either side would decide to take target practice on our guided missile destroyer. After all, they were pretty good at blowing up oil rigs that we were close to so, who knew what they were going to do next, right? So what did we do? Well, we were at battle stations a lot and had our guns and missile launcher trained on their  aircraft. We were basically letting them know that they were not allowed in our sandbox and that we were going to take every precaution to make sure that they did not get the opportunity to enter our sandbox. That is what we need to do at our schools. We need to stop the gunman before they gain access to the property. We can't allow them "into our sandbox".

I've heard the suggestion of locking all doors to the school except for one. Make everyone enter and exit through that one door and keep all other doors locked during school hours. Again, it may sound like a nice safe way to keep the bad people out. Let's say this is what is decided and we then have an accident or a fire in the cafeteria. Now we have students in a panic with all of the doors locked and they are potentially trapped. The response was make the doors work only as exits and cannot be opened from the outside. Well, there goes your security. All it takes is one kid to open a side door for another kid, who just so happens to be the gunman. The perimeter has now been breached and, we're back to a gunman inside the school but now the students don't have access to but only one exit.  Not good.

​My suggestion is this. A fence around every school with only 1 gate that can be used to enter/exit the school grounds. Have that gate monitored by armed security, preferably trained military Veterans, searching all backpacks and persons looking for weapons. At least that way we're creating a harder target and potentially stopping the possibility of any mass casualty before the gunman can even enter the property. The threat is reduced, the students can still exit the school through the doors without the fear of being trapped and in the event of an emergency, can still assemble within the fenced in area unless the situation requires that they evacuate to a safer distance. As much as you might dislike restricting actions or behaviors of the kids, it seems like the most viable way of keeping them safe.

I reiterate that there is no way to make any public place 100% safe. I firmly believe that it starts at home. Parents need to be parents and need to be involved and vigilant concerning their kids. Kids need to be taught to be good citizens and good people and taught right from wrong and to treat other people with respect. The students are the greatest asset we have. We have to teach them to know that it's okay to get involved and to say something and to take some sort of action when they find out that a former or current student with behavioral issues has created a threat or has entered onto the school property under suspicious circumstances.  
In my opinion, arming teachers, placing blame on politicians, wanting gun laws changed, blaming the health care system, blaming the NRA and, let's not forget, blaming the weapon, is like putting a band-aid on a large, gaping chest wound. It may make you feel better that you did something but, it's not going to stop the bleeding.

​The new normal has arrived and it isn't pretty.

Our story begins with The Elf, away from home in a far away land, on a secret mission, where he captures a fellow who is as cold as ice who is suspected of being affiliated with groups who have the ability to bring others to life. The Elf, along with his comrade, Chuck E. are tasked with interrogating this Frosty subject to gather the intelligence they need. Sometimes, interrogations tactics can go beyond the verbal stages.

As luck would have it, the Elf was out on the town when he himself becomes captured by teammates of the Frosty operative.

After his capture, the Elf is tied up and put on display for all of the town's people to view.

His captors decide to torture him just as he did their Frosty comrade.  It looks like another sphincter tightening adventure for the Elf.

Military "interrogation" tactics are used in attempts to get the Elf to talk.

Our hero, the Elf, had a few tricks of his own. Keeping Frosty's relative inside long enough, he seemed to have just melted away, giving the advantage to the Elf. ​The Elf has escaped and managed to return home, only to find that the love of his life has sought comfort in the hooves of another.

​The Elf is hooking up with some shady characters and experimenting with new things as he tries to forget about Clarice.

​The Elf is on a slippery slope.

The Elf, suffering from brief reactive psychosis, mutters repeatedly Romans 12:19 "Vengeance is mine..." as he calls Ken to lure him in by informing him of Barbie's situation.
Later, the Elf calls his old girlfriend, Clarice and tells him of his plan, faulting her for his downfall and justifying his actions, incorporating the law of Karma and Newton's Third Law. "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction". Clarice fears for her safety.

The Elf sends an intimidating "s-elfie" to Clarice's Blackberry of a popular scene from "The Shining". 
The Elf arrives at Clarice's and convinces her to let him in. Clarice, now in great fear, notifies the Police as the Elf gains entry.
When the Elf hears the sirens of the responding units, he hides within Clarice's house but is quickly surrounded and captured. 
With the help of great forensic investigations (yeah, I couldn't resist), the Elf is sent to jail but later found to be incompetent and sent to a State hospital for treatment. 
Afterwards, Clarice and Rudolph get back together again until Clarice realizes that she suffers from Stockholm Syndrome. Shortly after her revelation, Rudolph is severely injured in a hunting accident by a local dental student. Rudolph survives but Clarice is able to escape from him during his convalescence.
Later, Clarice seeks out the Elf at the State hospital.

Disclaimer:
None of the Elf photos were taken by me. None of the characters were harmed with the exception of Frosty, who just melted away and Barbie and Ken who will never go away.

I may not always like the direction our Country is going in but, I will not publicly condemn OUR President.  You can't turn on the news without seeing the Republicans criticizing the President's policies and his actions.  But, when previous Presidents were Republicans, the Democrats were doing the same thing.  I realize that everyone has their right to their own opinion however, that doesn't mean your opinion regarding OUR President should always be made public.
I often hear how OUR President has embarrassed us and OUR Country but, I dare say that he has brought no more embarrassment to our country than the citizens have.
I may not like all of the decisions that have been made but, I can promise that I didn't agree with all of the decisions past Presidents have made either.  The important thing to remember is that we don't know what he knows.  In other words, we are not privy to the information that he has, but are only told, basically, how the press has spun it or how opposing politicians want us to hear it.  OUR President has far more knowledge of the current events than any of us have, yet we are foolish enough to open our mouths and spew an opinion based on our limited information.  I swear this Country was better off before the internet, when we weren't poisoned by instant media and opinions by those what had an ulterior motive.
The fact remains that OUR President is just that.  OUR President!!  Whether you voted for him or not, the majority spoke and he was elected.  To be fair, I didn't vote for him but, I also didn't vote for the Republican candidate either.  But...I did vote, as it is still my right to do so.
I am a US Navy Veteran and as such, I was trained to follow lawful orders, without question.  In other words, it was not within my discretion to question a lawful order just because I may not agree with it.  The same applies to when I gained rank and I gave lawful orders to those below me in my Chain of Command.  I expected those orders to be followed, although I was open to suggestions to complete the tasks if someone had a better idea.  The bottom line was that the mission had to be completed, whatever that mission was.
When I served aboard a US Navy warship, the "Skipper" was in command.  We did what he told us to do, although knowing that he was also taking orders from the higher ups in his Chain of Command.  We followed those orders as given.  Sure, we might not have liked them but, they were lawful orders.  We would never criticize or condemn OUR Skipper's orders or decisions.  We, over 350 men, lived on a Guided Missile Destroyer that was just a little over 400 feet long and 35 feet wide.  Morale was a very important part of shipboard life.  If we criticized the decisions made by our Skipper, we would have damaged the morale, making it fragile and weak.  Besides, who would we have voiced our criticism to?  Certainly not those senior to us as that would have been a bad reflection on our selves.  And certainly not those junior to us as that would have poisoned their minds, showing a weakness that we do not support our Skipper.
OUR President is OUR Commander in Chief.  We may not like everything that he has said or done but, to publicly criticize him weakens us as a society and as a Nation.
I love this Country and I support the Office of the President and what it stands for.  President Barack Obama is OUR Commander in Chief, whether you like it or not.  As such, he has my respect that comes with the position of being the President of The United States of America.  He should also have the respect of every citizen of this great Nation.
Perception of other Nations as to how they view us is still vitally important and it is up to each of us to do what's within our power to keep that perception positive.  In doing so, we will always will be, The Land of the Free...and The Home of the Brave.

In this time of violence and destruction in the world, I thought that we may all need a little uplifting inspiration.  Rather than compose a lengthy message, I thought that I would just include a link to a very moving story.  Please watch this video.  You will not regret it.  It speaks louder than I could ever speak.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NjKgV65fpo

I caught a lot of grief last week after my "blog" about the attack at the Texas Community College.  My blog concerned the fact that no matter if you ban or limit the magazine capacity of firearms, it won't change anything.   The attacker last week used a box cutter and managed to injure 14 people.  No firearm at all.  The point was that if evil exists, limiting ammo isn't going to correct the problem.  Today is a great example of this.  A bomb planted at the finish line at the Boston Marathon.  No firearm, no knife, no box cutter.  A BOMB!!!  Did you hear me???  A BOMB!!!  Whoever planted that device certainly had evil, malice and ill-will.  He or she also had a mission.

Once again, violence has erupted at an institution of learning.  At least 14 people were stabbed yesterday at a Texas Community College by a 20 year old student that went from building to building, stabbing several, many in the face and neck.  Authorities are now saying that "the attacker" had been planning the attack for quite some time and had even fantasized about killing people since he was in elementary school.  I will only refer to the suspect in the incident as the "attacker" as I will not mention him by name, giving him the 15 minutes of fame that he so desires. 

I am deeply saddened today with the senseless murder of an old friend and "Brother in Arms".  Yesterday afternoon, Virginia State Police Trooper J.A. Walker was shot multiple times, murdered for no reason on Interstate 85, while stopped to check on a vehicle pulled over on the shoulder of the road. Trooper J.A. Walker joined the Virginia State Police in the early 70's and had been assigned to the Dinwiddie/Petersburg area of Virginia since 1986.  I met Trooper Walker early on in my career with the Petersburg Bureau of Police.  It was common practice for city and county police to provide "back up" for Troopers on traffic stops or accident investigations, and vice versa.  Trooper Walker was a giant of a man, in both stature and integrity.  He was truly "one of the good guys".  He was respected by all who knew him, whether it be the general public, fellow officers, Prosecutors and Defense Attorneys alike and even those he arrested.  He treated all with great kindness and respect.  He took his job seriously and believed that there was good in everyone.  He was the epitome of what a cop should be.  Dedicated and professional, yet able to crack a joke to lighten the mood, he brought joy to many.  For me, he was a friend and role model.   

It seems as though most people have an opinion on how to correct or control the violence in America. In the past several days I have heard suggestions to rid these problems by means of gun control, gun bans, armed guards in the schools, identifying mental health patients and allowing God and prayer back into the schools. What follows is my opinion and the opinion of many regarding the violence not only in America, but the world.