I usually read the news at work, during my breaks, at lunch or during a lull in my workload. Today I was reading a Yahoo News report on the NRA press conference. I know it was dumb of me to read anything from yahoo, but I like to read the comments. As i finished the article and moved on to the comments I was ready for the idiotic responses by numerous people. Just like the comments from the presidential election, these were less idiotic.
I did come across quite a few people who said there should be an armed guard or two at the schools. And some who were against it. I then read from a commenter that they didn't think a Veteran should be allowed around children because of PTSD and the soldier going crazy. Someone even likened a veteran doing security at a school to having Rambo around children.
It got worse as I read on. There were people who assumed all soldiers are prone to kill because of being deployed. They assumed that because soldiers have had to fight for their lives that they were somehow unstable and mentally incapable of protecting a child.
I'm for gun owners rights, I'm for having an AR-15 if you want. I don't know of anyone who has a "military grade" weapon. But in the past few years I have heard of quite a few people hunting with an AR type of gun. Does that make them crazy? Or does it make them prone to go and shoot up a public place? I don't think so, but that is just my opinion.
But back to my thoughts on being a Veteran. Prejudice towards veterans, the civilian's who swore to an oath to protect the Constitution from all enemy's foreign and domestic; who knew what would happen if sent to Iraq or Afghanistan; who train on a weekly, if not daily basis for numerous types of scenario's, are all prone to going "crazy". I was upset, just disgusted with those Americans who have lumped so many into that stereotype.
Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines.... almost every single member of the Armed forces joined up to better themselves, to make a difference, to challenge themselves. They wore a uniform that only few get to wear. The ones who served many years ago and were drafted in wars they did not believe in, served the USA.
I didn't love every minute I was in the Army, I didn't enjoy doing all of the training. I did love the guys I stood by in formation. I did enjoy working on a helicopter. I still to this day feel like I made a difference in someones life. I may not have been the epitome of the "GI Joe" type of soldier, but I did take the step and served.
To say that veterans can't protect children, or that they shouldn't be allowed around schools....... Maybe then those people who have those thoughts should look around at the neighbor's they have. In almost every community there is a veteran. Someone who has served with honor and dignity. They may have done it for college money, for a chance to do something bigger than themselves, they may have felt they needed to change, they may have done it because it was either the military or jail. Whatever the reason, not every veteran was drenched in blood, reborn in a gunfight or mortar attack, or so traumatized from deploying that they should now be deemed insane.
At any point the military may have up to 5% of the population of the US. The Marines may fight with the Sailors, the soldiers may yell at the Airmen... but we all have each other to care for and take care of in battle. There is more compassion in a Veteran than there is in anyone of these hateful people.
Many of these veteran's that the NRA proposed could volunteer to secure the schools have children and want them to be safe. Don't count them out, don't assume to know anything about the military unless you served.
I am just one veteran, there are many more just like me. I do not have PTSD, I do feel I can give back to my community and would be more than happy to stand guard at a school so the children felt safe and the parents knew someone with better training than the average rent-a-cop, was there to protect them.
We don't have to allow guns inside the halls, or in the classrooms. We don't even have to have them at the schools. But having a Veteran at a school., who has training, and a pride in them to do what is right..... that could deter a person from another tragedy.
Here is the link......... my rant just kind of went on about being a veteran.
http://news.yahoo.com/nra-calls-armed-police-officer-every-school-162851713.html
And a transcript of the NRA press conference. Some of it I agree with, but not all.
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/National_Rifle_Association_press_conference_transcript.html
