Tully, Monseigneur, Scholars, Guns and Societies Dregs

I started taking notes for this blog entry a couple weeks ago after reading an article by Indianapolis Star columnist Matthew L. Tully.  Mr Tully's column was about crime data and Indy's gun problems.  I got lazy and stopped thinking about the blog until I attended church this morning and listened to the homily by Monseigneur that was about all the men and women that lost their lives in battle defending our freedom.  That got me thinking about the blog again so here we go.

This is about guns and the potential that sometime down the road all of the scholars that I work with will have access to them.  As a reminder, the scholars I work with have emotional disabilities and can lose their temper real quick.  One scholar in particular (Floss) really scares me when I know from personal observation his obsession with guns, swords, knives, punching, hitting, shooting, stabbing and basically role playing about killing someone or something.  I also know that talking about guns runs the risk of either being attacked from the far right gun toting extremists or the far left nut cases who want to banish squirt guns.  Now that I've probably annoyed one side or probably both I'm good with that.  All I ask is that you use common decency when posting your thoughts in the comments section as well as posting your true identity.  Please keep in mind if you don't play by the rules I'll dump you into the category called societies dregs.

I'm going to start with Mr. Tully, my scholars and to tie this all together the parental units for my scholars.  In his column Mr. Tully wrote about Indy's crime data that showed a "deep Indy gun problem".  He stated that as of mid June there were 70 recorded murders with 61 that involved a gun.  The gist of his column was the "deep seated social problems" that plague our city.  Among the problems listed in our city were the following:

1. No or minimal family support.  From the scholars perspective the following have little or no father figure; CorP, Floss and The Collector.  EM does mention his father but I'm not certain to what extent he enters into his life.
2. A lack of positive role models.  The role model for Yo! is a parental unit that referred to BaseG as a fat ass and said I was to old to teach and belong in a nursing home.  The role model for Straw is a parental unit that uses the N-word with regularity.  I'm not aware of a role model for The Collector unless it's his parental unit or one of her siblings and both have spent time in jail.  Floss has no role model that I'm aware of.  EM plays little league baseball so hopefully his coaches are positive role models.  CorP has the best role model, his great aunt and he lives with her.  I've met her a number of times and she is the great.  Unfortunately, she is regularly battling CorP's dysfunctional mother for custody.  
3. Basic lack of conflict resolution.  Despite numerous discussions about anger management with the scholars conflicts quickly move toward confrontation.  This confrontation can be verbal, physical aggression, near fights or objects thrown.  Despite all of the conflict resolution discussions incidents such as the ones I just mentioned occur repeatedly.
4. A hair trigger mentality.  Fortunately we've avoided any real gun incidents with our scholars.  We've had toy guns a couple times and even a pocket knife but nothing to serious.  What bothers me about Mr. Tully's addition of the hair trigger mentality to his list is Floss.  So many of his actions revolve around violent video games or movies.  We've had numerous incidents with him using classroom art paper to make either swords or knives plus Lego's to make hand guns.  It's scary for me to think that this eleven year old scholar chooses to use he free time making these objects and then role plays using them.

As I review Mr. Tully's list I'm fearful for the scholars.  Why?  Because there is a free flow of guns here in Indy and there shouldn't be.  I'll provide you with an indication of how simple it is to buy a gun regardless of current city and state and federal laws.  Mary and I went to a patio show at the state fair grounds a few weeks ago.  Next to the patio show was the annual visit of the Rod, Gun and Knife Exhibit.  As we were walking across the parking lot I noticed two gentlemen having a conversation.  As we got closer I realized they were negotiating the price of a rifle that one gentleman was holding. The asking price for the rifle was $300 and not further questions asked.  You should also know that police officers directing traffic stood within one hundred feet of this transaction.  I've spent the last two school years with these scholars and to think that they will so easily be able to obtain a gun in five years or less makes me nervous.

Now I'm on to the Monseigneur at our church.  I like the Monseigneur as he keeps the mass short especially at 7:00am.  Forty minutes and done.  I like him for another reason, he doesn't chant the mass.  Thank you Jesus!  For some reason the newly ordained priests like to chant.  Listening to them is like listening to fingernails being scratched on a blackboard.  One of the new priests at our church also liked to use the incense.  This priest  likes blessing things so much with incense he swings the incense burner around like he was doing a loop da loop with a Duncan yoyo.  Sorry Sister Judine I'll do a few more Hail Mary's and Our Father's. Ok! Let's get back on track.

During his Sunday homily Monseigneur made a request to say prayers for the police officer killed in the line of duty and for the seven citizens that were shot while walking on a sidewalk over the weekend.  He then proceeded to thank all off of the veterans for their service to our country on this 4th of July weekend.  After that he made this statement.  I wonder if all of the veterans of all of the wars who sacrificed so much would step up again to defend our freedoms in today's environment where guns are so easily obtained and used so violently because someone bumped into you while walking on a sidewalk.  That caused me to pause and think and I suspect you may be doing the same thing.

The citizens of this country have the right bear arms but at what cost.  Seven people were shot and a police officer killed in Indianapolis this weekend.  Eighty two people shot in Chicago on the same weekend. All because some dreg with little regard for another persons life can obtain a gun in places like a parking lot at the state fair grounds.  All because this same dreg who spent his entire life making poor choices probably places little value on his own life.  Sadly nothing is going to change anytime soon.  Political action committees on both sides of the gun issue have crammed so much money into the pockets of politicians that they will do nothing to stop the violence rather than upset their cash cow which is needed to get re-elected.  Even sadder is the fact that in less than five years my scholars and thousands of others like them with serious anger control issues can easily buy a gun.  That scares me and I fear that one day when I open the newspaper I'll read the name Floss and next to his name are the letters DOA.