NRA Calls for 'Armed Security' Around Schools
"The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun," the NRA's Wayne LaPierre said.
In an amazing Friday morning press conference, the National Rifle Association broke its weeklong silence following the horrific shooting of 26 people at a school in Newtown, CT and called for a surge of gun-carrying "good guys" around American schools.
NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre called for a new kind of American domestic security revolving around armed civilians, arguing that "the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun."
"We care about our president, so we protect him with armed Secret Service agents," LaPierre said. "Members of Congress work in offices surrounded by Capitol Police officers. Yet, when it comes to our most beloved, innocent, and vulnerable members of the American family, our children, we as a society leave them every day utterly defenseless, and the monsters and the predators of the world know it, and exploit it."
LaPierre's speech was a call to supporters to mobilize around a new vision of American domestic security, at a time when voices for gun control are steadily rising. On Friday morning before the press conference, President Obama released a video (above) citing a petition by hundreds of Americans calling for swift action.
At the grassroots level, groups like Newtown United, a group of Newtown neighbors, are working to address major issues related to the tragedy, including gun control, violent media, mental health and legislation.
Many school districts across the nation, including the Whitefish Bay School District, reaffirmed their commitment to safety and crisis plans after the shooting.
In stark contrast, LaPierre called for a great mobilization of gun-carrying "good guys," a term he used repeatedly but did not define, who could be more present and respond more quickly than police.
"If we truly cherish our kids, more than our money, more than our celebrities, more than our sports stadiums, we must give them the greatest level of protection possible," LaPierre said. "And that security is only available with properly trained, armed 'good guys'."
LaPierre, who was interrupted twice by protesters who held signs in front of TV cameras, made a direct call for local action.
"I call on every parent. I call on every teacher. I call on every school administrator, every law enforcement officer in this country, to join with us and help create a national schools shield safety program to protect our children with the only positive line of defense that’s tested and proven to work," he said.
In his speech, LaPierre also accused the media of selling "violence against its own people" through violent video games, music videos and "blood-soaked" films. He did not take questions from reporters, and did not acknowledge the protesters.
Brian Carlson
1:15 pm on Saturday, December 22, 2012
NRA's point man, La Pierre, talks like a comic book... Good guys surrounding schools to shoot bad guys. Of course he did not take questions or go into detail because there is no detail here. It's a ruse to make the NRA look like a bunch of really concerned folks. They do not want change unless it involves more guns but no plan is detailed....why bother...because it's not a serious proposal...it's deflection.
Count the schools, count the hallways, take a look at the perimeters one would have to constantly surveil. If we wanted to defend these schools, from preschool through universities, effectively turning them into something like military posts, prisons, armed camps, etc... It would take a vast number of police or security personnel, and billions of dollars to do so. And is this how our children need to be educated? The first part of the education in such facilities would be...you are targets for lunatics... And are suspect youurselves. Now lets all say the Pledge of Allegiance children.
Tony
6:54 pm on Saturday, December 22, 2012
Brian, did you know Bill Clinton actually originated this idea?
Tony
7:02 pm on Saturday, December 22, 2012
original article about clinton doing exactly what NRA proposed.
http://articles.latimes.com/2000/apr/16/news/mn-20323
$$andSense
8:02 pm on Saturday, December 22, 2012
I like Wayne’s idea. Provide armed security in schools where school boards want them by referendum. Private non-union security services under direct contract with the school district. No openly armed or identifiable presence other than the teachers and administrative staff who know who they are. Lots of retired LE and military types out there that would likely jump at the chance to augment their income with these jobs. Private corporations use them all the time. Likely at less than the cost of a full time teacher. Never let anyone other than the administration know when and where they are. Vaguely advertise that these people are imbedded in the schools and crazies might think twice. It is worthy of consideration. Likewise, how many schools across the country have done security evaluations of their strengths and weaknesses that could at least minimize their risk with out going to the extreme.
Brian, as usual, goes to the other extreme. Openly armed and uniformed presence every where? Uhhhh, no. This isn’t 1940. You have no idea how veiled and stealth security works. These are people and technology systems that are smart, experienced and are very effective.
Keep working on that stare down technique Brian. They might need you.
Brian Carlson
9:17 pm on Saturday, December 22, 2012
SS. Cost it out for us if it's doable. You are obviously an expert on veiled and stealth security.... What's it going to cost, how does it work, how many stealthy good guys per average school?
Brian Carlson
9:25 pm on Saturday, December 22, 2012
Tony, Bill Clinton balanced the budget. That was his greatest act. He also missed completely on the Rwandan genocide. I liked some of what he did...not all of it. There were guards at my school in the late sixties and early seventies. Tere are guards in many schools. What I have heard...are proposals for airport level security at schools, malls, churches, etc....and it sounds impossible as people will not pay for it on the one hand, and logistically a nightmare for kids. maybe you guys have an effective model. The ones I have heard sound crazy. This guy, from NRA, didn't have a proposal... Just deflection.... PR...
$$andSense
10:15 pm on Saturday, December 22, 2012
Brian
There were guards at your school? Would that have been at the former Ethan Allen correctional school in Wales? Brian, now the other side of you is coming out. Those guards were to keep you in, not the bad guys out.
You see, anyone can mirror your feeble and deflection reasoning right back at you. You want the cost of school security? Then you should show up at a school board meeting and ask if it can be done. Oh wait, you would have to make the effort and leave your safe and comfortable home and keyboard. You up to that?
Tony
7:38 am on Sunday, December 23, 2012
"didn't have a proposal... Just deflection.... PR..."...so your upset he is stealing obabma's main platform for governing? Who said anything about "airport level security at schools"?? chris mathews? Nobody with ANY common sense has asked for an armed guard at every corner of the halls but you. A single armed individual would in fact make any criminal think twice - 40 armed teachers would certainly stop one flat - we all know the teachers can certainly afford some of the nicest handguns available to man!
Brian Carlson
7:48 am on Sunday, December 23, 2012
Tony, you managed to show your disrespect for teachers and ask them to add trained armed security personnel tasked with defending kids in potentially lethal combat. Good luck with that.I think a poll of teachers, at any grade level, but particularly in elementary schools would find few willing to carry guns. It has nothing to do with courage...obviously there were amazing examples of courage in CT. Could be wrong of course. We will see I expect.
Brian Carlson
7:54 am on Sunday, December 23, 2012
SS if you dislike me so much, why send notes to me suggesting I responded quickly to this article? I have a feeling that you are glad I am here so you can talk down to me from your experience and knowledge base about things like veiled and stealth security. Can you say more about your plan? So far you are long on attack and short on suggestions. And drop the attacks...it dis-serves any attempt to make a cogent point. We can all agree on this and let it be "SS and Sense really thinks Brian Carlson is stupid."
$$andSense
10:53 am on Monday, December 24, 2012
Disagreement with a person's opinions does not equate to dislike of them or passing judgement that they are stupid. Ask anyone who is married, has teenage children, or the occassion to deal with politicians of any breed know this. I am glad you are here because the alternative to living and communicating with others is not desireable and I do not wish that on anyone.
Here is a nice little read for you:
http://lewrockwell.com/north/north1237.html
Merry Christmas Brian. Have a safe, happy and prosperous New Year.