On Target Firearms Training

I'm open to private lessons and safety classes as soon as I can find a range!

I hope to have an exciting announcement coming soon!

I've been thinking about the tragic events that occurred in Texas a few days ago..... the 19 children who lost their lives, the families that are forever changed, the woman shot in the face by her own grandson, the young man who made the decision to do all this and, in the end, also died....and what else could have been done to possibly prevent this and other similar events.

From what I've read, the guns used were legally purchased. They were standard semi-automatic AR-15s used by millions for hunting, target shooting and home defense. He was old enough to purchase them and the rifles are legal. Contrary to some news stories I've read, they were not automatic rifles. Those are not legal for the general public and not easy to obtain. There is lots of red tape to fight through to be able to purchase one. There are plenty of gun laws on the books and many are not enforced. I don't see how adding more would change anything. Someone intent on getting a gun will get one, legally or not. If we ban them all, I guarantee that the 'bad guys' will still have them and the rest of us will be sitting ducks unable to defend ourselves. Across the board gun bans are not the answer. I agree that military rifles and fully automatic ones shouldn't be available to the general public and legally they aren't. There are also certain kinds of ammunition not legally available to the public and I'm fine with that, but again, just like those illegal fi****ms, criminals will get their hands on it too. I'm afraid no additional gun laws or bans will fix that.

Then there's the issue of doing more to protect our children. I know schools regularly have active shooter drills. I can't tell you how much I hate that our children have to even think about such a thing. It's horrible. While I certainly don't want to turn our schools into fortresses, there can be structural and design changes made that could make our schools safer. Add to that more training for law enforcement, teachers and administrators. I have a personal example about a school that had overlooked a simple change that would keep the kids safer. Small but important changes.....

The biggest issue in these mass shootings is mental health. Obviously someone who commits such an act has problems. Several articles I've read said the young man's mother had concerns and his friends said he was increasingly disturbed and violent. If they'd just spoken up to the proper authorities, maybe this could have been prevented. If he'd been screened for mental health issues, he wouldn't have passed a background check and would not have been allowed to purchase those guns. Is there a way to incorporate mental health screenings into physical exams or a way to anonymously report someone in situations like this without the system being abused? He wasn't in school so teachers couldn't have known and the people around him that did notice said nothing. He even told at least one person that he was going to shoot his grandmother and then target the school. Why didn't that person speak up?

There is such a stigma attached to mental health issues. I've noticed a recent uptick on social media about su***de prevention, depression and such. We all know those problems exist and I'm pretty sure we all know someone who's on medication and/or undergoing treatment for mental health and emotional issues. Life is hard and there's no shame in getting help if you're struggling.

It all goes back to mental health and getting help for those struggling. I know even that system would be abused and perfectly healthy people could be subject to scrutiny unfairly, but something has got to be done and this is the place to start.

If only one person had spoken up with their concerns about this troubled young man and he'd gotten help , so many lives could have been saved.

I'm sure there are gaping holes in my ideas and thoughts. I'm just a parent/grandparent who happens to teach personal and gun safety classes. Constructive thoughts and suggestions are welcomed. Politicizing the situation will not be.......

I apologize for this but I really can't teach group classes at this time. I am available for private lessons. There is a blended version of the NRA Basic Pistol class that is available. Message me if you're interested. Be safe!