“Gun Free Zones”
Gun free zones? Columbine High School. Nashville Christian School. Fort Hood. Aurora Movie Theatre Mall. Sandy Hook. Uvalde.
What do all of these have in common?
For one, they were all well-known mass shootings, with the majority of those listed being schools. But let’s look a bit past that, what is the common underlying theme that all of these have that could be the reason it happened.
They were all “Gun Free Zones”.
A simple sign on most properties will inform those that would be mass shooters that they aren’t to bring their guns there, nor the kid who is peddling drugs that the campus is drug free to boot. That should keep our movie theatres, schools and other places free of shootings, and drugs, right? I mean criminals would never violate the law, would they?
If you can’t see the thick sarcasm, it is obvious that criminals by nature don’t follow the laws. Columbine High School had two shooters that obtained firearms illegally, then went onto a “gun free zone” and murdered classmates and teachers.
Fort Hood shooter specifically brought firearms onto base illegally, and started his rampage because no service member can carry legally on post unless they are military police or an agent…so they were soft targets with little ability to resist.
Aurora Movie Theater shooter chose the movie theatre specifically because it advertised that it was a gun free zone in the mall and the theater itself. Most malls are and have that on the doors as you enter, yet rarely do they have security that would be able to put up much of a fight if there was an incident.
The Nashville Shooter specifically passed on several other targets because she realizes their security was too hard to get through to carry out her devilish task.
Sandy Hook shooter murdered his own mother to get access to her firearms to then go murder others in a completely unprotected school.
Uvalde shooter had free reign to killing innocent children and teachers while waiting for the cowardly police to react…. showing that the police even while arriving there aren’t a fail-safe of protection.
Every one of these events could have had a different outcome. But because people refuse to believe that one good person with a gun on premises could affect it, we resort to feel good laws and signs that pacify the masses without addressing the problem.
All the gun bans, magazine laws, ammunition type, and legislative measures won’t help…if someone has ill intent you have two simple choices. Be the defender and fight back or be the victim.
It is amazing to me that we can look at a place where our Nation’s most precious treasure is held (schools), and not see the irony that by and large it is protected by a sign that says you can’t bring a gun here. However, it is not uncommon to see a bank where we keep money, or political locations like City Halls, or Congress all have people with guns to protect those locations…but when you mention armed teachers or security for schools, you must be insane.
There are often cited statistics that “98% of mass shootings occur in gun free zones”, and while I think that claim is likely over-inflated, it is clear to see there is a pattern that most of these people target something that is not protected.
In the military you don’t attack a bunker that is guarded heavily, that’s stupid and likely suicidal. You strike at the exposed, the weak, the area that is soft and easy to get to. Criminals aren’t stupid, they want a high chance of success.
This is why you choosing to carry concealed is such a game changer. With JM4s gun holsters, you can’t tell if I have a gun on me or not, so when you think I am a soft target for crime or hurting my family, I can engage and throw you off, thwarting your plans of death and evil. I have on gym shorts, so they may think he’s got nothing, but with the magnetic retention of our gun holster you would be very sorely mistaken.
It has gone past the point of relying on sign, legislation, or police to protect you and your loved ones. It is time for you to take charge and be part of the actual solution, not just pass another law and pretend it makes a difference. Be the difference.
Author: Ian Bolser
