To the editor:
The debate on how to avoid a recurrence of the tragedy at the Sandy Hook Elementary School has been sullied by The Journal News’ abominable act of publishing the names and addresses of law-abiding citizens in Rockland and Westchester Counties that hold gun permits.
The publication of the information suggests that permit holders are a danger to the community. The Journal News has responded to the flurry of criticism following this publication that “people are concerned about who owns guns in their neighborhoods.”
Frankly, the only individuals with firearms that I am concerned about are the people that do NOT appear on the database.
Licensed permit holders are community residents that have passed rigorous police background checks. They have been trained in the proper and safe use, and storage, of firearms.
Many of them, myself included, are active in promoting safety and security in their communities. The reckless decision of this newspaper has only resulted endangering these law-abiding community residents by making them targets for would-be gun thieves. Additionally, it has added to the hysteria and anger left in the wake of the Newtown tragedy.
As such, The Journal News has failed the community that it claims to serve.
There are no easy answers to preventing another Sandy Hook. Society must deal with a number of things. Perhaps first and foremost, people must realize that sociopaths will use any means to achieve their ends. Had the firearms not been available, Adam Lanza could have easily concocted explosives made with household items. The Internet is replete with recipes for bombs made from products that may be found under the sink!
Secondly, society must realize that we are living in a very dangerous age. As a result of the deadly attacks on innocent people by sociopaths and deranged individuals (Lanza, James Holmes in Pennsylvania), as well as by terrorists (Beslan, Russia), we really need to develop a new operations paradigm for schools.
The new paradigm should include armed security personnel in schools and emergency drills that prepare students and staff for active shooter and make-shift bomb attacks.
Additionally, I believe that we need to have specially certified teachers and administrators embedded in each school that have passed rigorous psychological tests and training in crisis management, firearms use, and defensive tactics. These education professionals need to have access to firearms or other devices during an attack that will allow them to protect the children and themselves pending the arrival of police and SWAT members.
While the issue of teachers utilizing firearms in schools is a controversial one, there are precedents in place. The state of Utah and the Harold Independent School District in Texas allow teachers with permits to carry concealed arms. The Arizona Attorney General introduced a proposal this week that would allow a school principal or designated staff member to have access to a secured firearm on school grounds and to receive training on firearm use and emergency management.
American society must acknowledge that the world has changed significantly in the last 15 years. We must adapt our schools and policies to deal with the new realities if we are to protect our children and ourselves.
—Anne Putko, Piermont
--
Putko is a graduate of the Rockland County Citizen's Police Academy and a member of the FBI's InfraGard organization.
Disgusting human beings, each and every one of you.
that will surely bring lots of people to appreciate and move to your reasoned, rational, point of view.
If the author agrees that such weapons should be banned, rationally where does one draw the line? Are full automatic assault weapons OK? What about a 100 round magazines? The author is using his subjective opinion to decide what is rational and with (apparently) a vast percentage of the population calling for magazine limits, a ban on semi-automatics and full background checks is this not the real rational position?
semi automatic weapons have ben the regular type of weapons we have since about the 1880s. Other than muzzle loads (.50-.60 caliber) or breech (usually .50 cal) or revolver (Dragnet or Colt 45), EVERYTHING is a semi auto. The semi auto technology is over 150 years old. As for the "100 round magazines" - they jam after about 12 or 13 shots. That is why the military decided against them and very few people use them at all - more for show. These types of magazines are not military issue. The 30 shot magazines are made for that type of weapon - the AR15, AR10, AR30, etc. that type of weapon has hundreds of variations, but is bascially a glorified .22 (it's a .223). Even the 30 bullet mags jam. Other than that, the Framers and Founders would say the AR15 types weapon is todays Brown Betsy.
Looks to me that you are beginning to lose your mind and may take it out on someone very soon. Please stay away from your cache of butter knives and get some help!
I would like to think that my society can handle the weaponry and I'd take that chance. Would I care if my neighbor is armed to the teeth? not at all. and I am sure most are and do not tell anyone. Sen. Grassley has an AR15. Gov Cuomo admits to at least one shotgun. This is a fake issue. Here's one I cannot figure out: Police video of the Newtown police pulling the AR15 from the trunk of a car in the parking lot of the school owned by one Charles Rodio. How'd it get there? Lanza had 2 handguns and an AR15, allegedly the one in the trunk. Who put it there? I can find no answers or news reports other than from the day of the massacre.
As we know, the leftist media, including but not limited to: MSNBC, CNN, NBC, CBS, and ABC, cherry pick their data to support a conclusion that they have already drawn. Fox does the same for right wing causes. They work backwards: here is my opinion, and I will only include my side of the story to support it. A lot of that goes on with the posts I read.
Who put the rifle in the trunk? Mother Lanza and Adam set up and killed? Blame the AR15? stoke emotions to cloud investigation and facts? me thinks so. Just sayin'.....
http://www.infowars.com/sandy-hook-police-audio-confirms-multiple-shooters-on-the-scene/
Grow some balls and post!
I wonder "if" those names where also on the list? http://www.rocklandtimes.com/2013/01/01/the-journal-news-is-armed-and-dangerous/
As a general policy, if I were a newspaper, and could afford the union costs, I would hire armed guards as a matter of course. But this knee jerk? another planned convulsion of the gun grabbers. Is Lohud so afraid that the regular police or politicians cannot "protect" the press? wow! what an indictment of society, it's new morality (or lost I should say), it's appalling ignorance of history and matters of human rights and worldly importance. From what I read, Lohud approached local constabulary with emails and "LOOK!!! ASSAULT!!!" Constabulary said: horse manure. Hey Lohud: horse manure with smoke and mirrors. Meanwhile in Chicago, Murder capital of the USA...... more teens and young folk get gunned down by illegal handguns. Not a peep out of Lohud, nary a glance.
Power of the pen.....HOOah!