IJMC - Guns and Schools

An email buddy of mine and frequent post contributor wrote this. I 
thought I'd pass it along to all of you for what it's worth. Our world 
needs help.                                                      -dave








To everyone...

	Anyone who knows me well, knows how fondly I speak of my former
school.  Granted, Eastern Hancock didn't have the biggest selection of
classes and we lacked a lot of school spirit, but we were always SAFE!  We
would watch the IPS schools on the news with their metal detectors and
security guards and shake our heads in wonder.  None of brought guns to
school...we had no need for such things.  Pocket knifes?  We all had
one..not for protection, but because we lived out in the country and
that's something country bumpkins do.  Hell, I had my huge swiss army
knife on my _keychain_.  No one suspended me, no news crew came to take my
picture as I got expelled.  My principal was more worried about tardies
and dirty graffiti and the occasional truancy or hallway fight.  We didn't
lock our doors when class was in session and we didn't fear that the
expelled students were going to come back and kill us.  While EH wasn't
big or fancy or #1 in anything...it was still like home---safe and secure
and relativly violence free.   I'd listen to the stories from my friends
who attended places like Ben Davis and Warren Central and wonder how they
could stand it.  How could they ever not want to be like us EHers??  I
always vowed that my kids would someday go there, too, even if I had to
claim they lived with my parents, just so I wouldn't have to worry about
that one first grader who brought daddy's sawed off shotgun to recess.

And I watch all of the school shootings in Kentucky, and Missouri, and now
my native Colorado...and I always thought "That would NEVER be a problem
at EH.  Our kids know better."

And then I got home today and read the news....not only did a MS kid bring
a gun to school, so did a high schooler...who took it on a field trip!  I
don't know who was involved (it's a small town, we'll all know that
answer in a few days.) and it doesn't matter.  The fact was that someone
did what I thought would NEVER happen here.  And if it's happening here, I
shudder to think what it's like everywhere else!

I don't know what my point is here.  It just saddens me to think that the
one place I felt the safest outside of my home is slowly becomeing unsafe
for my children, and their children, and their children, too.  I worry
that the day will come when we're all carrying guns to protect ourselves
from the crazy people who _shouldn't_ have guns, but do.  Where did we go
wrong?  When did the balance become so unequal?  When did children stop
being children???  

And one more note....I don't own a gun, and I never want to.  I couldn't
shoot one worth a damn if my life depended on it.  But there are those of
you reading this who do.  If you do, PLEASE make sure they are locked up
and far away from little kids, not hidden in the desk drawere under a pile
of papers.  Kids are nosy little snots, and they can locate a needle in a
haystack (or a gun in the kitchen cabinet) quicker than you think.  And by
then, it may be too late! 


I feel a little better..thanks for listening.

Me	
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Anastasia Goodpasture		  @-'--,--               algoodpa@iupui.edu
     If you could have Joe Perry for one hour, what would you do with him?
				-Steven Tyler, Columbus OH, 4/11/99
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