Last week, Senator Barbara Boxer introduced the Save Our Students Act. The central element:
allow the federal government to reimburse Governors who want to use National Guard troops to help ensure that our nation’s schools are safe
Yes, what we should do is spend Federal dollars to put soldiers trained for combat on battlefields around the world in our nation's kindergarten classrooms. I don't know about you, but I've always imagined my children happily playing dodgeball in the shadow of camouflaged, kevlar wearing and helmeted soldiers carrying M-16s.
In reacting to the NRA's lunatic perspectives on school safety, the 21st, Senator Boxer press release included these lines:
The NRA is now calling for stronger security at our schools. They should endorse my legislation, which would fund security upgrades for schools and trained law enforcement personnel to protect our kids.
As
Senator Boxer put it, ""Is it not part of the national defense to make sure that your children are safe?"
Yes, Senator, it is but that doesn't mean that we should have tanks in every school parking lot and howitzers outside the cafeteria.
Truth be told, Senator Boxer has proposed and mentioned a series of gun control and gun control-related measures since Newtown.
Here is what I think we must tackle – and we can do it without violating gun rights:
First, we must take weapons of war and high-capacity clips off our streets.
Second, we must ensure that local law enforcement is involved in reviewing conceal and carry permits.
Third, we must close the gun show loophole so background checks are conducted.
Fourth, we must keep all guns out of the hands of the mentally ill – and get them the help they need
And finally, we must keep our schools safe by utilizing all of the law enforcement tools at our disposal.
That last almost certainly includes, for Senator Boxer, the "Save Our Schools Act" funding for putting soldiers in the classroom.
This legislation reads like the worst of name games. If I had to predict what a "Save Our Schools Act" from Senator Boxer would include, this might have been a teacher education program, reimbursed college tuition for service in disadvantaged schools/school districts, a major school infrastructure program, and/or a massive greening the schools program but not something to take our tax dollars to put armed soldiers in the schools on a regular basis.
Boxer seems to be projecting the NRA. This is utter insanity on so many levels -- morally, politically, fiscally, etc ... The idiocy of this is truly striking. With the crassest political take, it is hard to believe that her constituents/supporters like this.
Perhaps (PERHAPS) this would make sense if it were directly tied to a deal that:
1. Put a licensing/registration fee on all weapons (perhaps based on clip size) to pay for these costs (plus enough there to pay 100% of health/societal costs from gun violence along with resources for next ...)
2. Created a national registry of guns -- perhaps w/exception of true hunting weapons (shotguns with a few shells, hunting rifles w/less than a six-shell clip, ...)
3. Legislated a mandatory buyback/destruction program for all automatic weapons -- with some very limited exceptions -- as was done (with great success in Australia)
Instituted mandatory gun safety training along with mandatory locks for weapons (cabinets/such) for all weapons
4. Repealed all 'concealed weapon' carry permits for all but police (+ very limited exceptions)
5. Etc ....
Truly, what America wants for our children is for them to go to school in an armed camp, with someone carrying an automatic weapon watching them as they do PE.
Note: In other news, a bit more on the mark, Senator Barbara Boxer recently announced the formation of a climate change clearinghouse