The atrocity at the Connecticut elementary school will not be the last such horror, nor was it the first or even the worst.  Go back to the year 1764, in what is now Franklin County, Pennsylvania.  The first: during Pontiac’s Rebellion in the wake of the French and Indian War, four “warriors” entered a schoolhouse and slaughtered the headmaster and some ten children.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontiac%27s_Rebellion_school_massacre . The worst: in 1927, a crazed monster beat his wife to death, then triggered a bombing in an elementary school in Bath, Michigan, killing some 38 kids and several adults. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bath_School_disaster .

I’ll repeat what I said in the Wall Street Journal op-ed section and on the Today show in 1999, after the Columbine High School atrocity: if we simply prepared teachers to handle this type of crisis the way we teach them to handle fires and medical emergencies, the death toll would drop dramatically.  We don’t hear of mass deaths of children in school fires these days: fire drills have long since been commonplace, led by trained school staff, not to mention sprinkler systems and smoke alarms and strategically placed fire extinguishers that can nip a blaze in the bud while firefighters are en route.  In the past, if someone “dropped dead,” people would cry and wring their hands and wail, “When will the ambulance get here?” Today, almost every responsible adult knows CPR; most schools have easily-operated Automatic Electronic Defibrillators readily accessible; and a heart attack victim’s chance of surviving until the paramedics arrive to take over is now far greater.

The same principle works for defending against mass murders…it just doesn’t work HERE, because it is politically incorrect to employ it HERE.  After the Ma’alot massacre in 1974, Israel instituted a policy in which volunteer school personnel, parents, and grandparents received special training from the civil guard, and were seeded throughout the schools armed with discreetly concealed 9mm semiautomatic pistols.  Since that time, there has been no successful mass murder at an Israeli school, and every attempt at such has been quickly shortstopped by the good guys’ gunfire, with minimal casualties among the innocent.  Similar programs are in place in Peru and the Phillippines, with similarly successful results.

Some people see the logic in the Israeli approach. Dave Workman does, as seen here: http://www.examiner.com/article/obama-wants-action-regardless-of-politics-after-gun-free-school-zone-tragedy?cid=db_articles .  Ann Coulter does, as seen here: http://www.thewrap.com/media/column-post/newtown-school-shootings-ann-coulter-makes-her-case-concealed-carry-laws-69361 .

Unfortunately, in this country, logic has been buried under political correctness.  Those in power whose ego is invested in brie et Chablis values that include scorn for the peasantry they accuse of “clinging to guns and Bibles” will never see that logic.  Children will continue to die in gun-free zones  hunting preserves for psychopathic murderers, and the cowardly murderers will continue to surrender or kill themselves as soon as armed good guys show up…far too late.

1 COMMENT

  4. Mas,

    I am a teacher and I can tell you that you are exactly right. I would
    Gladly volunteer for training such as this in order to make
    My school safer. It would be a wise use of teacher in service.
    I am not alone many of my colleagues feel the same way. It would
    Be very effective in areas like ours where schos are clustered
    Together. The elementary school that my youngest daughter
    Attends is just across the parking lot from the high school
    Where I work. I could be a first responder there as well. Hope
    Is not a strategy. We need a better plan.

  6. Mas, thanks for the stroll down through history. Too many folks forget the past and what past they recall is only from their time here on earth. And based upon that perception they have, individuals react trying to use the quickest and easiest out. Then you have folks like Bloomburg who uses the emotions and the drama to propell his platform.

    As you stated, there are ways to help detour these psychopaths……unfortunately, some don’t want to review the past to help protect te future.

    Thanks for your comments. Spot on.

  8. As a mother and grandmother,ifeel every school should have armed guards.I worked in security before my retirement,well versed in handling weapons and people.I sugest all parents get with school boards and set up a security system.

  9. Amen! I, too, would be willing to train & pack! Keep our babies safe! We do not have the luxury of PCnes… Get real & stay safe!

  12. I agree with you wholeheartedly. It’s sad how much people are unprepared for things like this, because of political correctness and ridiculous laws and idiotic government rulings. We need to arm ourselves, educate ourselves, and take back our country!

  13. Violent criminals beong in prison and violent mentally ill people belong in secure psychiatric hospitals. Letting them run around loose and trying to block their bad behavior by turning the entire country into a combination prison and mental hospital is the wrong approach.

  14. As a university professor, farther to the left than the right, but passionate about firearms-type person, I have to stress that we are sitting ducks. Except for those lucky folks in Colorado where on campus carry has been legalized. This insane event happened less than 30 miles from where I live and it is beyond crazy that this could happen. People have to wake up. An assault weapons ban? How can that help prevent some angry troll with a pistol they stole from shooting up innocents?

  15. I wrote this last night to a friend in Christ and I am repeating it now. If you want to have an honest discussion it is truly not the vehicle that needs to be discussed but the root cause. Societal breakdown is the shadow no one wants to deal with.
    ” I share your theory in concept. Creating “weapons free” zones anywhere, gives a false sense of security. In this current societal state, this is the path of least resistance and the unhindered open door for evil to walk through. This is not the forum for debate and today not the day.
    God grant the Shalom deep abiding peace to the families and friends involved in today’s unfathomable event. Give strength to move forward one step at a time to find deliverance through this overwhelming loss of human life.”

  16. This defense in depth idea strikes me as logical and comprehensive. Getting this to actually happen is going to be very hard. The people who would advocate such a measure are the same people who have been vilifying teachers and teachers’ unions for decades, and there’s too much bad blood there. And our current culture still treats guns as magic charms – in the case of the gun grabbers, as evil magic charms.

    My suggestion is that we start with a red state implementing this program and see what happens.

  17. Mas is right.
    Laws against Murder did not deter him, gun laws surely wouldn’t have, but trained and armed persons at the school could have.

  18. Well written, and I applaud you for having the courage to even speak about this right from the start. People have already started to politicize this tragedy and thats a shame. I think seeing Barry talk about taking “meaningful action” and starting the political rhetoric disgraces the office.

  19. This is so true. More laws aren’t the answer. By the very definition criminals don’t obey the laws that are already in place. If just one of the good guys/girls were armed,there wouldn’t have bee as many victims. These people were not out numbered they were out gunned. Guns don’t kill people, gun free zones kill people.
    Thanks, ~D~

  21. I am not usually driven by emotion. But this tragedy brought tears to my eyes. I have 2 grandnieces or is that great nieces? Any way the oldest is in kindergarten and the youngest is a couple years younger. So you might say I have a connection to these people. Their family’s lives will never again be the same. Every Christmas will be a remembrance of this horrible tragedy. They will relive it over and over. Like the movie “Ground Hog Day”.
    Like most of us that have never dropped a hammer on another person. We have trained for that day should it come to pass but the real test won’t come until that day appears before us, if it ever does. In this instance I have no doubt in my mind that emptying a magazine into this slug would be no problem.
    But as Mas has pointed out schools are gun free zones. CT is a may issue state so at least some people had firearms available but not in schools.
    All we can do is offer our prayers for these children and families. Hopefully that will make their load a little lighter.
    Rahm Emanuel said, “Never let a serious crisis go to waste and I mean by that it’s an opportunity to do things you could not do before”. GET READY

  23. Been trying to tell people the same thing but they think that would be a crime but as God said if some one breaks in to hurt you or your family then that blood shed is not a crime

  24. Denying that a threat exists is at the core of America’s public safety problem. Vigilance and appropriate physical security measures must be undertaken if we truly wish to protect those who cannot protect themselves.

  25. Mas,

    My wife is a school teacher and I am a college professor. My wife was student teaching and I was substitute teaching in Jonesboro, AR when the Westside school shootings occurred at a school just outside of town (fortunately we were in different schools in the same town at the time). Both of us would be prepared to take such training as currently both of us are sitting ducks. We have both went over strategies that our gun free zone permits us to have. Strobing flashlights, pepper spray, and immediate violent counterattack with anything available. All of these are actually against policy at both locations but we will not consign ourselves and our students to be fed to Moloch for politically correct reasons.

    BTW, I am former military and we both have carry permits. We have also had troubled students over the years that we felt could have caused serious harm. I had to deal with female students in a student group being stalked by another student while my wife had to report a student who brought weapons to her class. We feel like we are sitting ducks under these circumstances while the official line is to not confront but to hunker down and let professionals handle it.

    As far as the presence of guns on campus, in my Arkansas hometown, in the 1980’s, it was common for students to come in from duck hunting or deer hunting with their shotguns and rifles kept in their cars or pickups. We had one person in shop that restocked their rifle as a project. It was normal and these were kids from 15-18 years old that had these weapons. No one ran amuck.

    My conclusion is we need get rid of gun free zones and we need to revamp our mental health system. Deinstitutionalization of mentally ill had the side effect of dumping them on our criminal justice system. One of the biggest problems for jailers these days is the number of those with serious mental illness. In many cases, these are aggravated by substance abuse problems. We didn’t solve the problem of deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill, we simply relocated them to jails and prisons. If you want to be crass, we don’t need more gun control but instead need more control of crazies.

  27. Mas, Thank you for helping me climb out of the agonizing heart break if this slaughter of the innocent. It’s very difficult to disconnect emotion from reason and I really needed your help today. As a 62 year old gunner from way back, and a grandfather of three 5 to 7 year olds, this one hits especially hard. How can we ever convince them that the only way to fight fire is with fire? This one is going to be very difficult . Again, “thank you”.

  28. Mas I could not agree with you more. Unfortunatly, we are living in changing times and the Government of this nation is inept at solving the true problems that have surfaced in our populations, there are those that walk amongst us that are evil. Taking guns from law abiding citizens is not the answer. Proper education and training of responsible people would do far more good than giving into the goverenments idea of gun control. I am an avid shooter, I enjoy it as a sport, I do believe in being well protected as the loaded guns in my home would indicate.

  30. Excellent points, Mas. To elaborate, we have fire extinguishers at strategic locations in all schools. Why can’t we place “monster extinguishers” similarly. An easy-to-use rifle such as an M-1 Carbine or AR-15 in a secure locker at several strategic locations on the campus. Specially trained staff would have keys to unlock the lockers in case of an emergency. The rifles would be much easier to use than a handgun, and there would be no danger of unauthorized access which might occur if a staff member were to leave a handgun in a purse or desk drawer.

    Teachers have proven that they are willing to die for their students. I’m betting some of them would be willing to kill for their students, as well.

  31. Someday our nation will sit down, open our history books and learn the lessons therein. If that day is tomorrow I do not know.

    I do know that it is the job of all lovers of freedom to make sure that this day comes. Do not simply complain on the internet, for it is a great tool for the sharing of information.

    Mr. Ayoob has equipped us with valuable information, do not let it go to waste.

    Today we mourn, but tomorrow we need to come up with a solution to keep our children safe.

    –Matt Rogers

  32. Thank you calling these event atrocities instead of tragedies. I get tired of the media going on about what a tragedy the Connecticut killings are. As if 20 dead kindergarteners was no more important to them than seeing a performance of Hamlet.

  33. Just saw that Front Sight firearms training is offering firearms training for up to 3 staff members from schools. I just completed one of their 2 day firearms courses and I highly recommend them. Anyone serious about weapons training should research this organization. Be prepared.

  35. Absolutely right. The whole problem is these crazed individuals who commit these atrocities know that in these “no guns allowed areas” no one will be able to stop them.

  36. You are absolutely right Mass.

    Of course, that is not the real problem here.

    The second the Lame stream media heard of this, they all rushed to the scene, and started wailing, crying, and wringing as much terror and horror, as possible from the suffering of these victims.

    I watched Obama, pretending to cry, on camera of course, when he was actually elated, that this incident will provide him the excuse to now go ahead and use the next four years to push local and international gun control, registration and confiscation upon America.

    Obama will ignore the facts that in the middle east, young girls are shot, merely for wanting to attend school, and obtain a better education.

    And, all the talk about training for responding to such incidents, ignore the fact, that it most cases, the shooting will be all over and done with, long before the police ever arrive at the scene to clean up the mess, and try to assign blame, and figure out the cause and motives behind what lead the shooter to commit such a crime in the first place.

    Anyway, be prepared for more, and more media and Government pushes to dis-arm us all, before we can hopefully be rid of Obama, in four more years, assuming that he won’t be able to find a way around the “No third Term” restrictions, that is?

  37. Well said! At this time, I cannot say how I know it to be true; but the “education culture” does not believe that evil can visit them. Consequently, they ignore basic security procedures because they are “inconvenient”. They will ignore the pleadings of folks such as you, Lt. Col. Dave Grossman and John Giduck in favor of political correctness. This is the sad and tragic result.

  38. Mas, I predict that Obama is going to create a new Fed LEO to handle school security. It is too good of an opportunity to pass up. More Fed workers who will vote Dem. More bodies in jobs to handle unemployment. More control over education. 150K schools in US. Think new TSA on steroids.

  39. Did Israel “deinstitutionalize” its diagnosed psychotics two generations ago – the way America did in the early 1970s – and flood Israeli streets with people who previously had safely been locked up in mental hospitals?
    Whether this guy in Connecticut yesterday – or the one who a week ago shoved the man in front of a subway train in NYC, or the “homeless by choice” guy in NYC who won’t wear the boots the cop bought him – this is what “deinstitutionalizing” psychotics brought America. Do you like it?

  41. As a teacher who already has the training and permit… I’d gladly carry if I were allowed. Too bad there will be no logical analysis of mass shootings by the mainstream media to show that they happen where potential resistance has been removed by signs and feel-good laws.

  42. BINGO
    Nailed it
    Like Harrold ISD in Texas where staff and teachers are armed and trained, but you do not know which…and like Israel, as you mentioned.

  43. It’s time to change the laws in this country so that we can have armed people in schools. Right now, several, if not all states prohibit CCW holders to enter school grounds.

    I’m on it!

  44. Hello Backwoods Home and Massad Ayoob,

    Thank you for documenting the facts for those who don’t see the obvious. I’d go a step farther in the logic. First, I’d begin training at the kindergarten level that teaches children and teachers to attack at the first sign of these types of assaults. Students, teachers, staff would begin to throw everything in the class room at the attacker as soon as he/she/they appear.Then swarm the attacker and pummel them. If the first instinct is a coordinated counter attack, instead of cowering in the corner, these types of assault will take on a whole different dimension. Flight 93 crashed in a field because the people on board were about to take over the aircraft from the terrorists on 9/11. Second, follow the common sense security measure that Mas introduces above to allow teachers and staff to concealled carry if they so choose and can qualify. Support that by having them certify to basic course work (at their own expense if need be) to increase their competence.

    I’m personally done with people cowering in a corner waiting for a active shooter to kill them. Turn the tables in our culture to encourage self reliance and self defence as our right and our heritage.

    Colorado Patriat

  46. Mas,

    I’m a regular reader of Dave Workman as well as of you. You’re both guys I respect and you’re both right.

    Daniel

  48. I feel our schools and faculty should be armed because they are protecting something more precious than money in a bank, our innocent children. This PC world we are living in is helping the evil to do these unspeakable acts.

  49. That defibrillator might make a nifty improvised weapon that could be used to incapacitate an active shooter. But that would require courage and action.

  50. >>”Similar programs are in place in Peru”

    Could you provide me with a reliable source regarding this Information?
    Thank you.

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