I really try to stay away from politics in this blog...really...but the radicals on both ends are driving me crazy. They are allowing the lobbyists to control their thinking, and that is never a good thing. In what universe is it a good thing to allow people with concealed handgun licenses to carry guns on public college and university campuses. How could the Texas senate vote overwhelming for a bill that allows just that.
As an educator, mother and thinking human being, I am appalled. I am not a fan of guns, but I do understand those who want the right to protect themselves in their homes. Common sense must prevail however, and colleges are populated by teens and very young adults. I am quoting one of many studies when I cite University of Rochester's medical Center:
"The rational part of a teen's brain isn't fully developed and won't be until he or she is 25 years old or so. In fact, recent research has found that adult and teen brains work differently. Adults think with the prefrontal cortex, the brain's rational part. This is the part of the brain that responds to situations with good judgment and an awareness of long-term consequences. Teens process information with the amygdale. This is the emotional part.
In teen's brains, the connections between the emotional part of the brain and the decision-making center are still developing. That's why when teens are under overwhelming emotional input, they can't explain later what they were thinking. They weren't thinking as much as they were feeling."
Unfortunately, during college years young people experiment with alcohol, drugs and other reckless behavior. Why does anyone (other than those making money selling them) think adding guns to that mix is a good thing? Yes, I want my children and your children to grow up and live in a world where their freedoms are secure, but I also want our colleges to have the right to protect them so they can stay safe. That doesn't seem likely if guns are the new campus accessory.
Speaking of guns, Run To Ground, a novel by D.P. Lyle questions which gun was used to kill pedophile Walter Whitiker on the day he is released from prison. Sometimes things that seem so clear are actually not so clear at all, and Lyle kept me wondering about Tim and Martha Foster, a strong and likable couple, throughout this well written novel.
High Crimes by Joseph Finder , another well written novel, follows the complications of Tom and Claire Chapman, another couple whose complicated lives make for a fascinating read. Claire is a prominent lawyer with the perfect (second) marriage, until she finds out that Tom is actually Special Forces soldier Ronald Kubik. Suddenly she is defending her husband in a military courtroom where the outcome could be the end of the world they built.
Hopefully, I have given you two good books to read and something to think about this week. If you disagree with me and can tell me why guns on campus make sense, I look forward to your rebuttal in the comments section.
Happy reading,