I've generally thought that the National Rifle Association is diametrically opposed to everything that makes sense regarding guns. Yet one thing that they have advocated in the wake of the Connecticut shootings does make sense.
The NRA's president, Wayne LaPierre, has called for putting armed guards in the schools. While some pro-gun people have advocated arming teachers — which makes no sense, as teachers are by and large not trained marksmen — I could support the idea of armed guards. A school district in western Pennsylvania has hired armed guards for the schools — choosing retired Pennsylvania state policemen for the jobs. These are trained people, who know how to use guns, and who have had the policeman's training in judging when to use them and when it would be too dangerous.
My position has always been that guns should be taken out of the hands of ordinary people, but two groups need them: the military and the police. These armed guards are technically not police, but they are performing a police function. So I can have no objection to this idea.
The NRA's president, Wayne LaPierre, has called for putting armed guards in the schools. While some pro-gun people have advocated arming teachers — which makes no sense, as teachers are by and large not trained marksmen — I could support the idea of armed guards. A school district in western Pennsylvania has hired armed guards for the schools — choosing retired Pennsylvania state policemen for the jobs. These are trained people, who know how to use guns, and who have had the policeman's training in judging when to use them and when it would be too dangerous.
My position has always been that guns should be taken out of the hands of ordinary people, but two groups need them: the military and the police. These armed guards are technically not police, but they are performing a police function. So I can have no objection to this idea.
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