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A new way to prevent wanton gun violence

By Staff | May 26, 2023

With freedom comes responsibility, including a responsibility to do no harm to others, and to make restitution when the improper exercise of a freedom injures someone. For example, we have the freedom of speech. However, if that freedom is abused and causes damage to someone else by lying, then the liar must make restitution. Or if someone causes an injury by negligently exercising the freedom to drive a car, the negligent driver must pay the damages of the injured person.

Some argue that every person has the freedom to carry a loaded fire arm anywhere, anytime. But who pays when that freedom is abused and results in harm to others?

When someone kills a half dozen people in a shopping center and wounds another half dozen people, or guns down worshipers at a synagogue or a church, or murders and wounds children in a school, who pays for the medical care and rehabilitation care of the survivors? Who pays for the funerals of the dead? Who pays for the wrongful deaths of the dead? Who pays for the loss of income and companionship of the families of the dead? Who pays to remove and repair the damage to the structures, so that reminders of the violence are no longer visible in the buildings?

The answer to this violence, say the “owning a gun is a freedom” groups is: more guns. Armed guards in schools and at places of worship. Armed teachers in the classroom. Surely the armed guards must be people who are well trained in responding to active shooter situations. Who pays for that training? Who pays for the salaries of those guards?

If teachers are to be toting guns in the classroom, they too must be well trained to confront shooter situations. Who pays for that training? How will those teachers be compensated for accepting positions, which can put them in harm’s way? West Virginia cannot fully staff its classrooms with qualified teachers now, because of its low teacher salaries and often poor working conditions. How will adding the duty of being armed guards help keep qualified teachers in our state?

If the problem is not the guns, but people, then the people who want to carry guns in public areas should be required to take and pass safety exams and to have liability insurance, just as is required to operate a car on the highways. An insurance requirement would allow the private sector to help prevent unstable people from obtaining guns. An insurance and a licensing requirement would give law enforcement a tool for preventing the bad guys from having guns in public areas. Meanwhile, those who want firearms for the protection of their homes could keep them in their homes without licensing and insurance; they just can’t take them out in public.

Neither this suggestion, nor any other, will prevent all wanton gun violence. But it would prevent the killing of some children. Doesn’t that make it worth a try?

Garry Geffert, of Martinsburg