S.H.E.S.

I was shocked but not surprised.

That children would be targeted for murder we have seen in wars, heard in stories of war. That someone would think to harm a 6-year old is not new.

But the wholesale slaughter? On American soil? That was unthinkable. And because it has happened, we will not be shocked if it happens again.

I was impressed that the age of the students, the classrooms which were hit, was not revealed for a full 24 hours. The media is not normally so tight lipped; I credit law enforcement for keeping it quiet.

It was my only question that day, when I finally had the courage to click on the online story. My only question, when I turned away from a [televised] news conference, eyes welling, unable to breathe.

The answer came in the newspaper and I continued my vehement avoidance of cable news channels.

When there is talk of gun control, why are there loud protestations of They're going to take our guns away? Where does this fear come from? Is there a historical precedent of which I'm unaware?

Banning specific types of weapons will not prevent another S.H.E.S. Or Aurora. Or Oikos. Or Virginia Tech. Or Columbine. Or 101 California. Or someone going postal. A determined potential Arkham inmate as the patience to legally gather all that is needed for atrocious chaos.

Another tragedy of these events is that the focus is never on the real issues regarding gun violence. There are children and adults killed by gunfire every day. Instead of focusing on how to prevent another massacre, we should be focusing on how to reduce the existing violence.

The NRA, from what I can ascertain, has been a hindrance to such efforts.

When these things happen, I often wonder how the NRA felt about the Black Panthers' assertion of the right to bear arms to protect their communities. A Google search shows the NRA was pro-gun control at that time. What changed, NRA? What changed?

At first, I didn't like the NRA president's proposal of armed guards at schools. I imagined men in black with matching body armor, carrying rifles. A reminder that this place is dangerous. A visual cue for heightened awareness. I don't want children to have to live in that state.

Then again, the idea of a plains clothes officer or two who know the kids, give presentations, and genuinely care about the study body is the heart of community policing, isn't it?

But, I imagine, the NRA would prefer no types of weapons or ammo be banned. So the bullets that can pierce military grade body armor could be in the hands of potential assailants. Thus the guards would need to carry weapons of equal or greater capacity. An arms race for who has the biggest/best gun could ensue.

It is not enough for the guard to be armed. The guard must be trained – and have continued training – to react in stressful situations. Their response must be second nature, in light of the increased adrenaline that would be flowing through their veins.

This is my concern with teachers who are getting gun training and who plan to bring firearms into the classroom. Without that constant training (for the sake of argument, think boot camp + army reserve), their response in high stress situations may do more harm than good.

Last year, a Kansas Republican said, "that illegal immigrants should be shot 'like feral hogs'".

Even the kids brought by their parents, sir or madam? Would you pop off first graders while they played at recess? Would you have shot Elian Gonzalez on his way to school?

Maybe, obviously, this person meant adults. Men who had come to work in the meat packing plants (but not the men who hired them).

That's our culture, you see. Violence is the answer for so many ills.

But cultures can change.