LESSONS FROM LITTLETON
Regardless of whether you think I'm on the right approach to understanding the complex subject of bullet performance or you think I'm a total fraud, I hope you agree that the Littleton tragedy was a watershed event. The liberal media and the gun control fanatics were quick to argue that we need more gun control to avoid future school massacres. That, of course, is absolute nonsense. Sawed-off shotgun with barrels shorter than 18" and an over-all length of less than 27" have been illegal for decades. My sources have told me that all the victims were killed with shotguns while the two monsters shot themselves with the 9mm pistols.
Most telling was that some well known liberal politicians resisted new gun laws at first and stated that new laws were not the answer. Once they got their marching orders, however, they quickly changed their tune. In Michigan where I've lived since 1966, I've always been required to obtain a permit to purchase to buy a handgun and then register it after purchase. In spite of this, crime continues to rise. During the 20 years I was a member of the Detroit Police Department, I confiscated one handgun that had been used by its registered owner in a crime. The problem has never been the ownership of handguns by law-abiding citizens. However as a reformed liberal I can tell you that for all their education and feelings of superiority they are generally rather stupid with little idea of the realities of life.
Littleton was created because too many parents are not fulfilling their roles.
Procreation is a rather simple process, while parenting is extremely difficult
and time consuming. We have seven children and we realized that our desire to
have a large family would require a large commitment of time. I give the credit
to my wife who has deep and wise insights in how to parent. Parents need to
love their children enough to tell them no. Children need to be disciplined
when they violate acceptable forms of behavior. It was often inconvenient for
me to interrupt whatever "important" work I was doing to correct my children,
but it was essential that values and standards be reinforced. Whatever form of
discipline you favor, it needs to be applied uniformly and consistently.
The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their
mother. The thing that offended me most about Clinton's adulterous relationship
with Monica was the liberal prattle that "everybody" cheats on their spouse.
Well, I've been married for 31 years and I never have and I have a lot of
friends who haven't either. I'm convinced that most people keep their marriage
vows.
Children don't need things bought for them, they need time with their
parents. We developed a program with our children called "special days", where
each month we would allow one of the children to spend the day with the
parent of their choice. When they were small, my wife or I would have to plan
the day. When they got older they would plan their day down to the smallest
detail. The result: seven individuals who are productive members of society who
know that they are important and that their mom and dad love them. The key is
time not money. Until parents assume their God given responsibilities, events
like Littleton will continue. When a child lacks self worth he or she will see
no worth in any one else.
As Mormon's we participate in a program called Family Home Evening. Every Monday
night the TV gets turned off and we gather together with our children still at
home and spend 1 1/2hrs discussing religious and moral principles, playing a
game, and eating refreshments. Even if you find religion a turn-off I would
recommend such a program for your family. Bill Bennett's excellent book on
virtue can give you short stories that will teach you and your children
valuable principles. Other worthwhile family activities would provide service
for people who need help. Teaching children to look beyond themselves is
critical in their ability to care for others.
Frankly, if you own a handgun and don't belong to the NRA you're a fool. Is the
NRA perfect? Heck no, but they're the best game in town right now. If you're
already a member send them a check. I'm personally extremely frustrated by
their failure to be as proactive as they should be. There are a number of
services and assistance they could provide to blunt some of the criticism
leveled at them.
My children grew up in what my wife once called a five bedroom gun rack. There
were always 35-50 guns in our house as I did gun tests for a number of
magazines. As a cop I always kept at least one loaded gun in the house and all
my children knew that. In spite of the fact that they attended school in
Detroit, they never once considered the use of a gun to settle their school
yard or neighborhood disputes. Why? Because they knew they were persons of
value and because of that knowledge they valued others.
Human problems will never be solved by increasing or decreasing the
accessibility of weapons. People need to assume their responsibilities as
adults. Misconduct by adults, whether it be in moral areas or legal ones, will
convince children that moral behavior is not important. Then we will find
ourselves with a generation of monsters.
Evan
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READ ALL OF EVAN'S COMMENTARIES:
Evan's Current Commentary
Russian School Attack Update
Gunfight Dynamics
COLOR + COVER = SURVIVAL
TRAINING VS. CERTIFICATE COLLECTION
9/11 -- A Year Later
The Dangers in Intervention
Spitting Into The Wind
Progress & Criticism
Lessons From Littleton
Street Stoppers II
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