See here’s the thing….one did. His name was Matthew Joseph LaPorte. He died trying to save the others in his classroom…two rounds to the head kinda does that. I and the rest of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets attended his funeral 2 weeks after he was killed. He was buried with full military honors (as an Air Force ROTC cadet) right here in Blacksburg and was a hell of a good man.

I was unaware of that fact. I’m sorry he wasn’t successful but I applaud his determination, I wish some of the other young men had joined him; I believe that would have stopped the gunman. There’s a hard lesson for you Sgt SVJones.

Sometimes you do everything right but the bear still gets you. You stack the odds as well as you can then go for it.

I suspect the world is a poorer place without Matthew.

Perhaps we should arm the UK police with thermos flasks? What could possibly go wrong?

Heh. I was thinking about the two constables on “Last of the Summer Wine” taking on a desperate criminal with tea, white,please with two sugars…

CrazyGene on December 11, 2008 at 1:51 PM

Perhaps we should arm the UK police with thermos flasks? What could possibly go wrong?

I wonder what the headline would have been if the robbers weren’t so ghey and had filleted her on the shop floor?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/3708154/Shopkeeper-fights-off-knife-wielding-raiders-with-cup-of-tea.html

The gal stopped them with ONE CUP OF TEA.

“Any gun will do if YOU will do.”

It’s more about mindset than anything else.

But we all know that isnt likely to happen so I find nothing wrong with teaching these kids to defend themselves. They need to escape if they can but fight if they cant.

SnakeintheGrass on December 11, 2008 at 12:36 PM

The lesson we should be learning is that these cowards are utterly unwilling to lift a finger to defend the lives of the children entrusted to their care. Sociopaths.

Quite why anyone would put their children through such an abusive system is beyond me….the kids should be yanked out of these schools until the adults start acting like adults and shoulder their responsibilities, or are replaced by adults that will.

The gunman in these mass shootings are usually untrained and, while they usually want to die, 1. dont want to get shot and 2. want to take people with them. That is why they choose areas where there are unarmed civilians. When was the last time you heard of a mass shooting at a military base or a police department?

The best route is to arm the teachers. Don’t make it a requirement for the rank and file but allow them to carry if they can get a concealed carry license. I do think that the principal should have a long gun locked in his office and should be required to quallify with it on a regualr basis to ensure that atleast one person is armed at the school.

But we all know that isnt likely to happen so I find nothing wrong with teaching these kids to defend themselves. They need to escape if they can but fight if they cant.

Should be required reading for every citizen, with a follow-up test for comprehension.

Self-defense, and acting to end a situation such as this in any way possible isn’t an option…it’s an innate duty.

I tend to wonder why none of these schools got stormed by the parents of the kids holed up inside? I’d have no qualms going into the building fully armed and ready to use those weapons on anyone who interfered with me getting my kids out of harm’s way, whether idiot, terrorist, or “law enforcement” personnel.

I have nightmares about a Beslan-style jihadist takeover of an American school. In Beslan the jihadists set up a rape room for the girls and women, and they had hours and days to gang rape everyone they wanted to. Kids that fight back, kids that run, might have a chance. Cowering rabbits never will.

bonnie_ on December 10, 2008 at 5:49 PM

I doubt that anyone are going to give them that much time here but you are right. Resist is the tactic of last recourse and a lot better than do nothing and die like a sheep.

We need to start growing up sheepdogs.

No … I am not raising Spartans. Just teaching my kids how to take care of themselves and others.

AZ_Redneck on December 11, 2008 at 9:42 AM

Quite right too. Good job sir ;)

My objection isn’t to the tactic of engaging the shooter per se, but that defaulting to this approach without even considering the infinitely more effective and rational approach (armed adults) is sociopathic.

These vile liberal cowards would rather have children in the firing line tossing books around than for an ‘adult’ (questionable) to utilize modern technology to neutralize the threat.

If a child of mine died under their watch, I think I’d willingly trade jailtime in exchange for ventilating the entire schoolboard. I would never entrust a child of mine to these gubmint school cretins anyway….

Because we have firearms in our home, the kids start to learn about firearms day one (take a look at the NRA Eddie Eagle program if you are looking for some material). The kids learn how to shoot starting at the age of 5-6. We start with .22 rifles and pistols. By age 8, they are bringing down clay pigeons with their own 410 shotguns and shooting 2-3 inch groups with their .22 rifles @ 75 yd. My 12 year old can responsibly and effectively handle a .357 or 9mm hand gun.

At age 10, all of my kids go through a hunter safety education program (2 down, 1 to go) to have someone else reinforce what Mom and Dad teach. All of my children respect firearms and know how to responsibly use them because THEY HAVE BEEN TAUGHT.

In our home, we have a variety of firearms stationed (loaded & ready to roll) at different locations. We have drills on a couple scenarios on what to do. The basic goals are to get yourself and others to safety, and live to fight another day. Should those goals be infringed: fight, don’t give up, and don’t be afraid to empty the firearm.

Over the years, we have had a handful of events that were not drills, usually when I am not at home. Mrs. Redneck and the kids have performed admirably every time.

No … I am not raising Spartans. Just teaching my kids how to take care of themselves and others.

My kids are in first, third and fourth grades, and their school just had an emergency lockdown drill a few weeks ago. The kids were taught to lock the classroom doors and hide in areas of the room where they can’t be seen from the doorway or windows.

Scary stuff for these little ones, and for the parents and teachers, too.

JA on December 10, 2008 at 5:27 PM

Seems most public schools now will put some covering over their room doors facing the hallway, as part of this madness.

That type of thinking boggles my mind. It may antagonize an active shooter??? HE’S ALREADY SHOOTING YOU DAMNED FOOL!!! You fight back. With whatever you have handy. Distract him with a thrown book, tackle him, beat the ever living tar out of him. Remember a few years ago when exactly that had happened? Kid on the wrestling team tackled the gun man and held him down until cops arrived.

Heck, teach them defense and start hiring some good conservative teachers with CWPs to carry in school. Change schools from protected (for the criminal) hunting preserves.

I would agree that charging an armed person is not the height of sanity, however not charging an gunman who begins shooting people is even greater lunacy.

As a retired military man who led young men into battle I learned young men, 13 – 18 are hormonally fearless and will follow anyone who gives them leadership.

The shootings in Virginia would have been cut dramatically if one young man had charged the gunman.

See here’s the thing….one did. His name was Matthew Joseph LaPorte. He died trying to save the others in his classroom…two rounds to the head kinda does that. I and the rest of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets attended his funeral 2 weeks after he was killed. He was buried with full military honors (as an Air Force ROTC cadet) right here in Blacksburg and was a hell of a good man.

Several students barricaded their doors shut with everything they had over in Norris Hall. I was one building away (Pamplin Building) at the time and was fortunate that all of my friends who were actually supposed to be in that building when the SOB opened fire were either late or chose not to attend because they were feeling sick

If you want to have a couple of sleepless nights, read about Beslan.

So, when something happens like the India situation, I go over it with my 13 yo. He’s a second degree black belt but I remind him that you don’t bring a side-kick to a gunfight if you can help it. However, if it comes down to it, do anything including ripping the guy’s eyeballs out and tying them into a square knot if you are cornered and you get a chance.

Other things to consider.. Look for a way to slip away if possible. Fortunatley my state is a CCW state. I’ve made up my mind that I will never be herded alive into a freezer or bank vault. I realize that engaging people means I might die but at least you have a chance.

The other thing I keep reminding my kid of is to NOT get shot by the swat team. IOW, if you get a hold of a weapon and use it be very aware that if the swat team or NG comes in they will probably shoot you. Same thing to consider if you break free and run outside. Also, be aware of an ambush outside the school.

If you can dig up the writings of Col Jeff Cooper, they are great for establishing a survival mindset. Like others have said, you don’t want to freak the kids out but you do want them to be able to survive. I think the recent election will leave us a LOT more vulnerable to terrorists..

Oh well, what are we worried about.. The terrorists will give up their 1300 year old war when Barack Hussein Obama uses his middle name at the swearing in and gives his big speech in Mecca. (Unless Fitzie throws him in jail first)

But, really, it just seems to me like bringing a knife to a gunfight.

And why put the children through such fearsome training that, sorry to sound like a pessimist, in all likelihood will get them hurt or killed when they try to enact it?

Someone else had some harsh words for teachers (mostly women, mostly lib) which pretty much are true, BUT I hasten to add there are islands of sanity in the system. I’m a teacher and I have been really relieved lately to find that a couple of people think along the lines of many who have posted here. But many don’t, so what someone else said (sorry forgot who) is probably best: just drop the stupid requirement that forces us to be targets and announce to baddies: “No one here can realistically overcome you.”

It wouldn’t force anybody to be armed who didn’t want to, but would enable those who did to have a measure of protection.

Also, correct me if I’m wrong, but I didn’t hear or see anything in that vid about *teachers*–armed and not–learning about self defense. That would be more effective than kids throwing even pointy books.

Also, there’s somewhat of a rumor that some principals in here carry.

I don’t really see this working well with elementary students. Arm the teachers. Even a woman can shoot a gun.

MikeA on December 10, 2008 at 9:51 PM

Extreme circumstances require extreme measures.
A few years ago obl said the next attack on American will kill 2 million children.
Where do you think he plans on creating that killing field….or was that just rhetoric?
read the whole article.

Turn every school into a secure compound

Are you sure you have thought that all the way through? Scholls being government things, and government being what it is, what do you think are the odds that no lunatic will ever get inside on of your super-max gun free zones, and when that happens how do you plan to get him out? Can you see your property tax going to about 80% of home values to pay for this plan? Besides, don’t you think are kids are getting screwed up enough by the stupid and mostly unnecessary things we put them through in the name of political correctness? Your plan sounds like saying “What are doing now does not work so we need to do more of it.”

I vote for more guns.