Another day; another young boy expelled from school for making and playing with a gun made out of paper. Another day, another new Hollywood movie comes out that, in my opinion, glamorizes guns. Here's the problem that, I feel, expounds on the hypocrisy of talking out of both sides of the mouth. Schools are on a mission to have so called "zero tolerance" on anything gun related. Then the next movie or video game or TV show that is geared toward young males comes out and is marketed in what I feel, is an aggressive in-your-face campaign with plenty of guns and violence.
No wonder statistics say that our young males are in trouble. They're totally dazed and confused on how they are supposed to behave and be like. This latest young boy's father served in the military and he and his son were talking about military weapons shortly before the son made the gun in school. So an eight year old boy excitedly discusses military weapons with his father and then gets kicked out of school for making one out of paper, and saying he's going to "shoot" somebody. Hmmmmm, I wonder where he got that from?
Instead of kicking him out of school, how about sitting the boy down and explaining exactly what guns are, and what their exact purpose is. Teach about the dangers and also the benefits of guns. Better yet, how about creating special classes or assemblies that educate on not only guns, but also violence. They can also discuss and correlate why young boys are so fascinated with them. That's when it could also be explained to them that Hollywood and video games are a fantasy land, that have their own mission to make as much money as possible, and they have no qualms whatsoever in using guns and violence to be successful. Let these classes or assemblies be ongoing and if a kid draws a gun or makes one out of paper, just give that child a little more counseling on the subject. By expelling the child from school, you are given that child the burden of a "scarlet letter" at seven and eight years old.
education is key but let's start first with the parents then the parents and children and then just the children each topic targeting ownership and responsibilities for all our actions and there is a cost.
ReplyDeletegood points by this writer it starts with knowledge and education. We need a better understanding of the 2nd amendment and how relative is it is today. We as a society believes guns makes us potent and powerful what a misnomer!!!! We need to reassess our values or this craziness will continue.
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