How Idaho Can Prevent a Texas Kind of Massacre

A retired state trooper told me we can’t let down our guard.  He shared this with me the day following the dreadful shooting in Uvalde, Texas.  As our schools close for summer, we’ll spend less time being vigilant when it comes to school safety.  He fears that could continue into the start of the next school year.

Be Ready to Defend Yourself and Others

I subscribe to the theory that a heavily armed society is a polite society, if not always entirely safe.  Texas is a lot like Idaho.  A lot of good people are armed and know how to use their guns.  It still hasn’t put an end to shootings at churches and schools in recent years.

I don’t subscribe to gun control.  As Forrest Andersen says, one of our gun show hosts, governments have killed millions of their own citizens with guns.  These are countries where they have no Second Amendment.  Governments are deadlier than all lone gunmen, sociopaths, and angry teenagers combined.

Remove Soft Targets

You protect soft targets, schools, and churches by making them hard.  First, even if it’s a gun-free zone, don’t post signs advertising you’re unarmed.

You can train a response team and conduct drills to ensure students and congregations know the escape routes.  You can limit entrances for visitors and you can put some thick doors in place.

Some of these things cost money.  School Resource Officers in Twin Falls County are an additional expense, yet.  I don’t hear any taxpayers whining about that expense.  The key is to make it as difficult as possible for an attacker to have success.