How Times Have Changed, Teens With Guns
Kevin Felts 05.23.17
While reading the news, I came across an article that talked about getting guns out of the hands of teens. As I write this I am 49 years old. The article forces me to realize how drastically times have changed, and not for the better.
New program in Montgomery aims to get guns out of teen hands.
The City of Montgomery, Montgomery County, the Central Alabama Community Foundation and Crime Stoppers are teaming up to fund and facilitate a reward program. It pays $300 for every gun confiscated from a teenager’s possession. The idea came from a program ATF already has in place in Montgomery Public Schools.
“If someone reports that there is a gun on school grounds, that person who reported it, anonymous or otherwise, would get $500 if that gun is confiscated,” said Bailey. Just this year, the program has turned up seven guns at schools. “They have found guns in lockers and book bags and things like that this year.”
Bailey knew something had to be done after Bellingrath Middle School student Jaquerria Timmons was shot and killed, away from school campus. It was another young student who brought the gun to the area.
What happened to our society that kids are bringing guns into the school?
1980s, when I was in high school it was not uncommon for a young man to have a shotgun or rifle in his truck or car. A lot of us would leave after school and go straight to the hunting camp. We would spend the weekend deer, squirrel or rabbit hunting. On Monday, we would go back to school and talk to our buddies about what we did over the weekend.
There were times when I wore the same coat to school that I took hunting and there would be some ammunition in the pocket.
However, we NEVER brought firearms into the school.
Today, it seems there is story after story of a child bringing a handgun into the school. Why?
What has gone so wrong with our society that kids are bringing guns to school? These are not squirrel rifles to go hunting after school. They are handguns in backpacks and kept in lockers.
Addressing guns in schools is not the solution. We need to figure out what has gone wrong with society over the past 30+ years.
The next question I have to ask, why are kids today so eager to shoot someone? Do they not realize that if they shoot someone, they are going to prison? Why throw your life away?
A question we need to ask ourselves is: where are the parents? Do they not realize their kids are showing anti-social behavior? Is the dad in the picture? Do most of these kids come from broken homes?
What exactly is the root problem?
