In the study of parental psychopathology, there has been strong emphasis put on the difference between authoritative and authoritarian parenting styles.

The Authoritarian style being considered the less successful of the two, due to the fact that it fails to use reason, maintaining high demands and strict consequences for the child through a routine that remains in place regardless of circumstance and situation.

Whereas the authoritative parent, while remaining stern and powerful, is willing to adapt their parenting style.

When I was 6 years old, I was an asshole…and every Sunday morning on queue, I would subject my mother to an unruly temper tantrum that always resulted in the smearing of red crayon on her beautiful white tile floors.

Crayon, unlike dry-erase marker or colored pencil, stains white tile, making it almost impossible to completely clean up. And after multiple attempts to discipline me and remain proactive, my parents had to change their approach: no more crayons in our white house.

I had lost my privilege, and of course I was to blame, but my parents did not condemn me for it. They continued to focus on parenting me, teaching me right and wrong, and how to act properly. For the good of our house however, filled with precious white, the crayons had to be taken away.

On Wednesday, February 14th, America saw the 9th deadliest “temper-tantrum” in modern history, when 19 Year Old Nikolas Cruz opened fire on the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Cruz used an AR-15 semi-automatic weapon to kill 17 students and teachers, and injure 12 others.

Cruz was detained, and his history was tracked. He had been previously reported multiple times for disturbing and possibly homicidal behavior, been diagnosed with depression, autism, and ADHD, yet he was still able to purchase an assault rifle, legally.

What we expect to see however, is an authoritarian reaction by American Politicians, yet again.

It has become status-quo, to believe that there is no political action achievable that will prevent these sorts of tragedies. Rather, we must sit on our hands and hope that modern medicine can somehow produce a vaccination for mental illness, or that kindergarten teachers have the presence of mind to accurately shoot a weapon at an armed gunman.

We need to start operating in the realm of logic, and taking steps towards making citizens feel safer on the streets, and children feel safer in their schools…

 

I am for the following:

 

-Recognizing… that there is no one entity responsible for incidents like the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting, rather there is a combination of issues that need to be addressed regarding these events.

Those killed in the Parkland shooting were victims of–a failure by law enforcement to respond to reports of possibly dangerous and homicidal behavior; a lack of legislation preventing citizens diagnosed with mental disorders from purchasing firearms; and a need for gun reform that will ban the possession and purchase of military grade assault weapons– in no order, and non more detrimental than the other.

It is the responsibility of the people, while continuing to advocate for more research into mental health, and holding law enforcement accountable for reacting to these situations properly, to take the next step. Take the weapons out of the hands of the killer, and the killer can not kill.

 

-Understanding… that guns are tools.

It would be foolish to place all of the blame on these weapons, because they do not carry the intent they are used with. However we have to understand that making these weapons available to the public, with or without training, credentials, and a background check…still puts us at the mercy of the gun owner’s intent. How many strangers do we trust to possess these types of powerful weapons? 

 

-Compromising… on the technicalities and specifics of gun reform.

For the foreseeable future, the second amendment is untouchable, but there is middle ground to be reached still. We must support a version of gun control that may not be perfect for both sides, but acceptable for all.

Hunting rifles have rarely been used in instances of modern gun violence due to their slow reload time and need for proper technique and training. Pair this with the large proportion of NRA members who are hunters, a ban on these weapons would not gain much support, and frankly, it is not worth the time or effort.

Handguns are the most common firearm used domestically. Although these weapons are used by law enforcement, they are also the weapon of choice for most of America’s gun related crimes. Despite this, a ban on handguns is almost impossible at this time. With the amount of legally and illegally owned handguns already in the hands of the Americans, there is just too much to keep track of. With a license requirement in place, we can hope that NRA members could get behind a call for stricter background checks, and a ban on any tactical attachments, which Congress is already working towards.

Tactical and assault weaponry is the one thing that needs to be addressed in this reform. These are military grade weapons that shoot to kill. Weapons like the AR-15 and M16 not only pose a danger to the defenseless, but render police issued weapons virtually useless in combat. Trained law enforcement would have no problem disarming a shooter using issued firearms like a Glock 22 or Smith and Wesson M&P 9. But when you put that same Glock 22 against a semi automatic rifle, shooting accurately from yards away, casualties on both sides are likely.

A complete ban on these weapons is not impractical, as there are no practical uses for them domestically. Any politician who may argue for the necessity of an assault rifles for recreation, should first look at their stance on recreational drugs…because I’d expect to see quite the contradiction.

And any of those who preach self defense should consider moving to somewhere like Somalia or Syria, where they may find a need to protect themselves to such great lengths.

The end justifies the means. Let us realize that by infringing on a law that some may see as an inherent right, we are protecting the rights and lives of so many more in the process.

 

-Stopping… placing the burden of gun violence on those who are not responsible.

This step is mainly directed at gun-advocates and NRA Members throughout the United States, who for some reason fail to understand that it is not the responsibility of the populous to make accommodations for firearms.

It’s time to man up. Teachers do not earn their degree in marksmanship. They do not inquire for work, hoping that their job description includes having to murder a gunman carrying a military grade assault rifle. They are there to teach. If gun-advocates are concerned at all with the safety of children in the classroom, take the guns away, or load up your rifles and go stand in front of our schools yourselves.

 

-Having… faith.

It will be a war to get anything done in terms gun reform in today’s political climate, but try we must. We will be asking law enforcement to work tirelessly to uphold new laws and restrictions. We will be asking gun owners to put their pride and patriotism aside, and try to do what is best for the living children rather than our dead forefathers. It won’t be easy, but if a ban on assault rifles saves just one life, it is worth it. Because right now, we are not doing this whole thing right, and something needs to change.

 

 

“The proactive approach to a mistake is to acknowledge it instantly, correct and learn from it.” -Stephen Covey