Sorry to cover the post about the Derby. Please visit that one too.

Last night, one of the schools I work with, held a family Cinco de Mayo celebration. At the end of the celebration, outside in the parking lot, one latino gang member, shot at a rival member. No one was killed, thank God.

This means there was at least one gun inside a school during a family get together, with children, babies, parents, grandparents and friendly neighbors. How many other guns were inside the building, no one knows.

I am not interested in beginning a discussion about any type of gun control - none of here will ever change each other's minds - but I am interested in what you think about if guns should be okay anywhere and everywhere. In Minnesota, it is legal to carry a concealed weapon, but they are not allowed in any place that posts a sign to the contrary. Is this enough? Obviously, it did not deter this particular person from having a concealed gun inside the school.

Your thoughts, please, but without the discussion about whether guns should be legal, or not.

Oh boy Anno, this is too close to home. How frightening to have this happen in a school you work with.

As long as people are allowed to carry guns concealed on them, you will never know if they will illegally bring a gun into a building. Therefore it is the schools responsibility to control the students with metal detector devices or randomly.

If I worked in a school, I would definitely lobby for such. You must be on edge about this, and everyone's senses are probably peaked!

Today I went to the school to help the staff deal with the situation. Of course, gangs were mentioned. There had been tagging all over the building, but no one recognized the tags. It was probably an in school gang (we call them wannabees) and they can do as much, if not more damage than a real gang.

Why and how more? Because they are not as organized and do stupid things.

I have to ask, why are so few concerned enough to reply to this? (I am not challenging here, really) Is it because if there are not massive deaths it doesn't seem so real? Is it because, if it is not national news, it does not count?

This is real. It happened in the life of someone you know. No one died, but it wasn't for lack of trying. If we only pay attention to the BIG news, lots of death, and such, then people will start acting big.

Sorry, I just felt the need to sound off.

Anno,
Your concerns are being heard. It is a big deal. It is scary. It shouldn't have happened.

You have been closely involved in a life threatening situation, and that is horrendous. Whether you were actually there at the time of the shooting, or have assisted those people who were there, is one and the same thing.

You feel their fear, their pain, their shock, their healing. I admire you for helping the school community through this terrible event.

Please know that we all support you. Perhaps the only reason that there are few replies to your post is because it is difficult not to express personal views on gun laws.

Keep up the good work, the school community will need your help to get through this one.

Thanks, SharonE. I know it is difficult not to express thoughts on gun control. I just didn't see opening that can of worms, once again. Thanks for this perspective. And, thank you for your support.

Is it allowed to check these "wannabees" lockers and do body checks? I hope so. If the word spreads that this will be done, (starting immediately), that may deter carrying guns to school.

Anno that has happened to me a few times, where I may post something and no one reacts. But then it was usually when it was 'all quiet at the front'. Our controversial ladies are missing. Where is Lola, Celtic, Chatty, JJ, Eagle, Meredith, Casey, Mrs. Madness, … are they all sunbathing?

My jury is still out on this issue. I had a very good friend who was a homicide detective and he told me that until we get rid of hand guns, it isn't going to change and since he worked in that field, I tend to believe him.

However, if I lived alone in a city that had crime, I would and have owned a hand gun.

I remember when Rosie was doing commercials for KMart and began to speak out against guns and those who owned them. Well, guess who sells more guns in the U.S. than any other store...yep, KMart. They fired her.

Ann, this is as shocking as it is appalling..we grew up looking down the barrel of a rifle, I have seen things all through my lifetime that no one person should see or have to face.
Today as I look at our local news papers...I see the two main(opposing) parties stand together along with the Irish and British governments on the steps of Stormount...I feel a big wave of confused emotion..why did so many have to lose their lives before this point was reached?
The main paramilitaries in this part of Ireland have rendered their weapons obsolete and have given them up....yet shooting incidents of a non sectarian nature are on the up, as are gangs...or 'hoods' as they are known here. Mostly young, unemployed, brainwashed boys who listened to the Hard Men of Ulster and have nothing better to do with their lives, but terrorize who they decide they have a god given right to....so, no they don't get the same recognition from the press or the media here either...yet lives of hundreds of thousands are still being affected by gun culture.
Will there ever be an end to it?....I suppose I am supposed to be elated with this historical change of tides our wee island... I want to see it as a good thing and trust that all of the hate filled past will be finally put behind us...but I have seen this all before over the short time of my adult life....so pardon me for being cynical.
Basically, we have just traded one type of terrorizm for another...and like yourself Anno...I too wonder which is more dangerous and threatening.

Sorry for ranting on a bit...but this great 'historic' moment has me feeling quite scared....it will be harder to work out who the so called 'enemy' is now if my thinking is near to being accurate...then I have every darn right to be scared.

Po

Angel a chara...Celtic will pop in later on this eve with her two cents worth(and it won't have the 'oppressed Irish' ring to it)

heer it is, i just cheeked a few days ago saw the derbie and dint cheek the listing in current events sorrie anno.

wear are guns not acceptable, church i would hope...i also hope never in the same room that i have the child in...

the police, firefighters, and prison gards are legalie allowed to have guns on them when off dutie in this countrie (for their own protection becouse they all deemed as targets for terrorists). NI police are constantlie armed which is totalie diffrent from the gardie in south ireland and the rest of the uk, the police arnt armed with guns...

the knowlage of being out socialie with someone armed this alone makes me warie to be around them and verie uncomphortable....i have wondered how sane they reallie are especillie the drunker they have gotton. so i tend not to last too long in social situasion with such people, besides if they deemed as a target and i in their companie what if the gunman misses or decides to take out the whole table...In honestie i have thought about it.

Now if your talking about hoods or criminals having guns then they take them whenever a crime to be commited or if they fear revenge then they be carrieing them all the time, don't ya think?

is their any evidences either way about more or less violences via a gun if someone else is also carrieing a gun? will the 1st gunperson be more liklie to fire out of fear (that they be shot) when another has a gun? or being the onlie one with the gun gives them a feeling of power and saftie? the illegal gunmen i known (work related) are generalie so paranoid and fearfull that they are liklie to take someone out if they feel real threat....whats anyone elses thoughts?

it difficult criminals and non criminals will have totalie diffrent mindsets and thought processes around this and carrieing a gun...
all i know is personalie i don't like being in presences of anyone with a gun outside a shooting range?

phewww made it and dint mention gun control/legalitie once. I might be missing something but i don't know why people get so worked up about descussing weather guns should be legalised or not.....its onlie a view, and it dosent insult anyone who has or hasent, agrees or disagrees with it legalisasion or not....its more about how one views the world and weather one needs to feel protected via guns...or maybee i have missed something

anyway anno i know your an inteligent person and i know or trust you when you say your not trying to start a pro or agenst guns debate....