Military Leader Has A Warning – And Realistic Ideas – For Our Nation’s Schools

Leftist organizations continue to spread their propaganda, twisting facts and creating a false narrative to suit their agenda.

They will use any tragedy to further their pet causes and keep a shadow of fear and doubt cast over our nation.

Now one military leader is affirming that the left’s narrative is not only dangerous – it is completely ignoring real solutions to further their agenda.

Following the tragic mass school shootings in Parkland, Florida in February and Santa Fe, Texas earlier this month, the gun control debate has continued to rage.

And the mainstream media and leftist organizations keep gun violence stories in the news to keep their program of fearmongering alive.

We saw in the Parkland, Florida shooting that dozens of warning signs were missed in regard to suspect Nikolas Cruz – including a history of mental health red flags.

And in Santa Fe, Texas, the same story we have seen time and time again; a loner with mental health issues and a history of being bullied targets classmates.

Oliver North, a retired U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel prominent during the Reagan administration is now the new president of the NRA.

And he has a reality check for anyone who is blaming guns for these tragic mass shootings – and a warning that if the leftist narrative is adopted, things will only get worse.

Activist Mommy reported:

North, who is soon set to head up an organization that so often finds itself defending the Second Amendment in the wake of tragic murders committed by angry young men with chilling motives, says that by focusing on the guns rather than the gunmen, we are failing to treat the real cause of school shootings.

“The problem that we’ve got is we’re trying like the dickens to treat the symptom without treating the disease,” he told Fox News, as reported by The Washington Times. “And the disease in this case isn’t the Second Amendment. The disease is youngsters who are steeped in a culture of violence.”

North, like many experts who have studied the motives behind these shootings, blames our culture of television, films and video games that celebrate and encourage violence, but also something much more serious.

He points to a serious breakdown in identifying and supporting children and teens with mental health issues – especially through our nation’s public schools.

And he believes there is a serious problem in our nation with the treatment given to kids who have mental health issues.  They are overwhelmingly placed on pharmaceutical medications as a “cure all” without looking for alternative treatments or addressing the root causes of the issues.

 “Nearly all of these perpetrators are male, and they’re young teenagers in most cases, and they’ve come through a culture where violence is commonplace,” he said. “All we need to do is turn on a TV, go to a movie. If you look at what has happened to the young people, many of these young boys have been on Ritalin since they were in kindergarten. Now, I am certainly not a doctor; I’m a Marine. But I can see those kinds of things happening.”

In addition to calling for more understanding of the cause of these shootings – disturbed teens who have fallen through the cracks — and not guns – he has some more immediate suggestions for keeping our kids safe.

One is conducting regular assessments of our nation’s schools to check their levels of preparedness for active shooter situations.

He advocates for education and training for teachers and students on a regular basis on how they can stay safe in a dangerous situation and also suggests the obvious need for armed officers or teachers on every campus.

The NRA has been working on funding and implementing these programs, in addition to their work to change legislation – like ending Gun Free Zones – with their “School Shield Program.”

The program’s website reads:

A proven and effective way to enhance security in schools is to conduct a comprehensive vulnerability assessment. These assessments provide an all-inclusive approach to analyzing a school’s climate, physical security, communications systems, and overall preparedness. A vulnerability assessment highlights and reinforces what a school is doing right to keep students and staff safe, and highlights potential areas requiring improvement.

The NRA believes every option should be considered when it comes to protecting our children. When a threat occurs, a quick and timely response by law enforcement professionals is what everyone hopes for. However, in these situations – when time is clearly of the essence – we strongly believe that trained school personnel can also serve a vital role. As the first to face the threat, they can lead and implement protocols designed to save lives.

While the left will continue to fuel their narrative that guns are the problem, North and the NRA understand the real cause of the disease of gun violence.

Identifying and implementing safeguards and support for troubled teens is the real “cure all” for much of the violence we see in our nation’s schools.

Time and time again, armed school resource officers or even law-abiding gun owners, have been the only reason an active shooter situation has ended.

Gun control and Gun Free Zones may be the left’s favorite arguments for safety, but statistics continually show increased regulation further endangers our students and citizens.

Programs like the NRA’s “School Shield” are making headway with a common-sense approach to train and prepare our students and teachers.

But the deadly symptoms of the disease of gun violence have yet to be addressed.  Until disturbed individuals are identified and given help, and until our Second Amendment rights are completely upheld as the Constitution intends, the problem will continue.

What do you think of Oliver North’s remarks on the real causes of gun violence in our schools?  Leave us your thoughts.