Rant from an old Friend (BamaProud)

[BamaProud]

Some of yall might remember me, some may have been trying to forget me. But I feel compelled to spread some information that I have come across regarding security in our Nation. I have 2 elementary aged children so the recent tragedy in Connecticut has impacted me deeply.

Here we go:
Before 1990 there was pretty much nothing to prevent legally permitted firearms owners from carrying on school property. Many of us had weapons in our trucks because we went on an early morning hunt or planned an after school hunt. By college (before 1990) if you had a CCP (over 21 y/o in most states)you might have even carried concealed at an institute of higher learning. It was no big deal.

-Prior to 1990 there had only been 7 mass* murders at schools in the 214 year history of the United states. After 1990, (through 2007) there were 78 mass shootings.

*mass murder meaning randomly targeted multiple victims.

Question: What happened in 1990 to make it 153% more likely that a mass shooting would occur in any given year???

Answer: The Gun Free School Zone Act (GFSZA) was passed.

How are we sure it was the GFSZA that was responsible for the dramatic increase in mass murders at our schools? 

Utah, the only state to totally ignore the GFSZA Act after it was partially repealed and re-written in 1992. Utah has (and still do) allow all permit holders to carry on school property (all schools state wide)with no restrictions How many of the 78 incidents have happened in Utah? ZERO. There have also been ZERO instances of a person legally carrying committing a crime on school property.

Other worldwide examples of how armed security (contracted or otherwise) working can be found in Israel, Thailand, Norway.

All of this information (and reference material) can be verified/found here:
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1369783

Its a thoroughly in depth (70 pages) informative and eye opening review of the 1990 GFSZA.

I do think culture, TV and Video game violence and other things have attributed to the increase in Violence in America, but it is hard to overlook what happened before and after the 1990 Gun Free School Zone Act.

[BowBendr]

It can't just be coincidence that all of these mass shootings are taking place in areas where the carrying of firearms is illegal. They know they're not going to meet any resistance.

There is one thing I can't wrap my head aroud though....body armour.
You wear it when you expect resistance to either entering or exiting a targeted location. It is made to help you live through an encounter.
They are walking into these GFZ's, meeting zero resistance, going in and doing the shooting and then killing themselves when finished, so they're not meeting resistance going back out.

So why all the black rifles (which I own one), black combat gear and body armour to do this in an area that is clearly a GFZ ? I don't get it ........I do, but that's another argument....

[redarrow]

Thanks Bama. I believe that pretty well sums it up. Good to hear from you. sorry it's not on a happier note.

[BamaProud]

I still read on occasion...just decided a few year or so back I was spending too much playing around posting on the internet.  Hope everyone is doing well.  Merry Christmas to all of you.

[Turkey Trot]

Was that an anonymous rant circulated by e-mail?

SCOTUS struck down the federal act in 1995 in United States v. Lopez.  Lopez and Printz are both well known decisions from the 1990's limiting congressional power to legislate under the commerce clause.  SCOTUS noted that may states, which have police powers while Congress does not, already had longstanding statutes in place to restrict guns in and around schools.

The notion that disarming people makes them a soft target and that armed people are less appealing to would-be mass shooters may be worth arguing, but one should get the facts straight.

http://www.lawnix.com/cases/united-states-lopez.html

[BamaProud]

Sorry the repeal and re-write was in 1995, you are correct.  The repeal/re-write allowed states some wiggle room in enforcing GFSZA, 40 states allow some leeway outside of the Federal language.  Utah is the only state that chose to pretty much go back to the pre-1990 ways. 

The paper I linked is far more detailed than I care to get on a message board.  Good information along with cited references. 

I didn't write it just paraphrasing and passing along information.

[BamaProud]

Was that an anonymous rant circulated by e-mail?

No if you would have read my original post I included a link to the original abstract.

[BamaProud]

Top of Page 5 from the PDF I have been referencing:
http://www.davekopel.com/2A/LawRev/Kopel-School-Zones.pdf

(?GFSZA?). The law, enacted in 1990, sharply restricted guns at K–12 schools and within a one thousand foot radius around the schools.5 In the 1995 case United States v. Lopez, the U.S. Supreme Court found the GFSZA unconstitutional because it was based on Congress's power to regulate interstate commerce, but the regulated activity had no meaningful connection to interstate commerce.6 In 1996, Congress re-enacted the law, this time limiting its application to guns which at some point after their manufacture had been moved in interstate commerce7—that is, virtually all guns.

...I guess this is partly why I don't like to post on message boards much anymore.  LOL 

Yall carry on. 

[BamaProud]

Former NYPD Detective John Baeza agrees with the repeal of the GFSZA:

On Fox:
http://www.therightscoop.com/nypd-detective-we-need-to-repeal-gun-free-school-zones/

[Old Gobbler]

Good to see you Bama,  glad to see your doing well

Just got back from taking my son to the movies,  the 380 was in my pocket - sad times we live in

[Eric Gregg]

Bama, don't be a stranger! Thanks for the info and food for thought.

O.G., it is truly a sad day when we have to take our firearms with us when simply going to a movie.
Truly a messed up world we live in now.

[surehuntsalot]

I have mine "everywhere" I go
my wife is packing when she is at the grocery store