Lars Larson: Thoughts on the Reynolds High School tragedy

by Lars Larson

Two teenagers died this week at Reynolds High School in Troutdale. One was a murderer.

And John Kitzhaber, who wants another four years leading the state, admits he doesn’t know what to do.

At a vigil for the dead this week, Governor Kitzhaber admitted “I don’t know what the answer is.”

Well Governor, here’s a start.

Stop talking background checks. They don’t work on teenagers. [It’s already illegal for anyone under 18 to purchase a firearm in Oregon.]

Start enforcing the laws. Too many schools handle weapons found on students administratively rather than using prosecution.

The president reacted to the Reynolds shooting by saying that we’re the only developed country where this happens. That’s a lie. Some of the worst school shootings in the world have happened in Finland, Germany, Scotland and Brazil, which, last time I checked, were developed countries.

The president also says there’s a school shooting a week in America – but if you check the definition they list, it’s any discharge of any weapon, with or without injuries, on or near any public school or college campus at any time of the day or night, including suicides, drug deals and gang activity.

Let’s start doing random searches of schools and students. Yesterday cops found a pistol on a teen that happened to be at Reynolds High. Let the police pick a school every two weeks, at random and without notice, go there with metal detectors.

Third Governor Kitzhaber, the laws you already have allow teachers with permits to carry guns. The Department of Justice says two million times a year Americans protect themselves from criminals by drawing a gun. We protect our paper money with guns. We protect Barack Obama with guns. Heck John, you have armed officers protecting you every day you’re on the job. How about extending the same courtesy to the kids?

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