Likewise, many economists agree that the U.S. economy would recover must faster if the federal government kept its mitts off of it and let the economy right itself through market forces.  More often than not, the government makes things worse, but it's never politically popular to do nothing.

Similarly, we got into two foreign wars partially because terrorists had training camps in those countries.  But that wasn't the core problem.  Terrorists have training camps in many foreign countries, but we have better security at Disneyland than we have at our country's borders and we let them waltz in, give them pilots licenses, and allow them to crash jetliners into our tall buildings.

There are many underlying causes of increases in shooting violence, although experts say that school shootings have declined over the years.  I believe there is a much larger picture than most people even care to consider and the problem is multi-faceted:

• We have engineered god out of our schools and our families.  A believe in faith and religion used to guide folks with moral guidelines and discipline.
   
• We are no longer allowed to punish unruly children with corporal punishment.  I received my share of spankings when I was a child, and I deserved every one of them.  At 61 years old, I haven't spent a day in jail yet or murdered anyone.
   
• We have an increasing nanny state country.  Hard work and overcoming one's own problems used to build strength in people so they could cope with just about anything.  Now we bail way too many out of their problems and pay them for not working.
   
• Certain segments of society are responsible for a majority of the gun murders in this country, but it isn't politically correct to single them out.  You can avoid using the "stereotype" label on me by checking out the real gun homicide facts on the Bureau of Justice Statistics website at http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/homicide/race.cfm.  Using this information along with the U.S. Census Bureau information at http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html appears to me to reveal that 50.9% of gun homicides are committed by 13.1% of the population.  You will likely not ever hear these facts on any of the national news media.  Underlying causes of this need to be addressed in ways that work.
   
• We have a continuously urbanizing country.  Urban pressures stress people and there are increasingly limited outlets for escaping pressure and stress. When I commuted on the Baltimore Beltway every morning and evening, I was gaining some serious road rage.  I moved to Wyoming to escape the cause of the rage and the rage has been gone for the past 15 years.  Likewise, I have lots of open space and beautiful places that naturally eliminate stress from me.
   
• The country has had a dramatic increase in autism and other mental illnesses.  These were mostly unheard of when I was a kid.  Yet we have yet to fully understand why this is so.  Is it food additives, exposure to pollutants, etc.?
   
• The country's mental health programs are grossly inadequate.  We know there are people walking around with serious mental illnesses, but we have little to adequately treat them or to keep them from harming others.

The Second Amendment reads "A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed."  By re-arranging the two parts of this sentence, you get what I believe was our founding father's intent:

"The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed because a well-regulated militia is necessary for the security of a free state."

In my opinion, every citizen of this country makes up the militia.  If our government and military are ever in danger of being defeated, it is the citizens who are the last line of defense.  It brings to mind the movie "The Patriot" with Mel Gibson.  When the father's son was taken by the British to likely be executed, he had to go and rescue him.  But before he did, he went to his bedroom, pulled a trunk from under his bed, and got his own weapons to do the job.

There are more gun owners in one or a few states than soldiers in the entire U.S. Army.  So if we are ever attacked and the citizens have to help save the country, I hope many of them have AR-15's and AK-47's and not a BB gun.

Because our federal government seems to be inept and inefficient at doing most everything, I fear that someday this will become a reality.

Personal Protection

If someone wants to commit a violent crime against you or your family, or your school, the police will rarely be there on time to prevent it.  I believe wholeheartedly in the saying "when seconds count, the cops are only minutes away."  This is only common sense.  Since the police are not psychic, they are aware of no crime until you are robbed, raped or murdered.  To think the police are always the solution and the only ones that should have firearms is delusional.

Most of us have heard about diminishing crime statistics in states that have legalized concealed carrying of weapons.  Another quote "The only way to stop a bad person with a gun is with a good person with a gun" comes to mind.  And some of the worst gun murder rates in the country occur in our cities and states that have the most restrictive gun control laws, including the State of Connecticut.

Tragic Consequences

When we have school children murdered or a lot of murders, it is my belief that it is a symptom of an ill society.  This country needs to start addressing the ills of society and not take away our means of protection against the ills of society.  Our country has seriously declined in morals, ethics, behavior, self sufficiency, work ethic, mental health and priorities.  Another quote I heard today was "In the hands of a madman, anything is an assault weapon."