Fully Loaded Danger

Ready to learn? Isn't that how we want our children to feel when they go to school?

Try explaining that to Leonard Embody... Or maybe not. The Tennessee open carry activist says people who are offended by his carrying of an assault weapon just outside a Nashville school should "see a psychologist".

WSMV Channel 4

Actually, he may force some of the kids at that school to seek counseling. After all, wouldn't you be at least a little scared if you saw someone like Leonard Embody pack heat right outside your school?

There have been at least 79 school shootings since Newtown. One of those school shootings was right here in Nevada, at Sparks Middle School. Contrary to what open carry radicals like Leonard Embody say, this is no laughing matter.

Just so far this year, there have been 98 homicides in Las Vegas Metro Police's area of jurisdiction. Our homicide rate is the highest it's been since 2006.



Even Metro itself has been affected by this. In June, Las Vegas Metro Officers Alyn Beck & Igor Soldo were shot dead by extreme right-wing Patriot Movement figures Amanda & Jerad Miller. They also shot dead Joseph Robert Wilcox before they killed themselves.



Jerad Miller may have obtained a gun via Facebook. Even though he was not legally permitted to own any firearms (due to past felony convictions), Miller was able to evade this because of the lack of universal background checks for gun purchases.

All too often, the NRA and its favorite G-O-TEA politicians have been all too willing to play silly games with the serious issue of gun violence. They think it's cute to grandstand with a bunch of "outlaw cowboys" pointing guns at federal agents. They think it's great to see people open carry in front of schools. They think it's more important to discuss the "philosophy of gun rights" and explore theoretical language than to actually make any real policy changes that could save lives.

This is why Leonard Embody is allowed to roam outside a Nashville school packing heat. This is why Las Vegas' homicide rate continues to inch upward. This is why Alyn Beck, Igor Soldo, and Joseph Robert Wilcox are no longer on this earth. This is why Sparks Middle School will never be the same. And this is why we can't afford to ignore the fully loaded danger around us.

Today's @NRA #FAIL

When will they ever learn? Here's one more to file in the "Totally Ironic Department": The NRA cares about safety! And even better, "NRA News" commentator Billy Johnson endorses socialism!

Oh, yes. That's right. "Everyone gets a gun."



Billy Johnson thinks more guns and "proper gun education" can magically solve all our problems and make our world a safer place. What could possibly go wrong? Who could ever imagine...

Oh, wait. Did we just hear something from Sparks Middle School?



"More guns" in the hands of minors didn't save Michael Landsberry. Actually, the opposite occurred. And 2 other kids were badly injured last October. Oh yes, and the shooter skillfully demonstrated his "gun education" by committing suicide after killing Landsberry and wounding his 2 other victims.

Look, we get it. The NRA will do and/or say anything to sell more firearms and thereby boost its membership rolls. That doesn't mean the NRA is correct. After all, we've seen what happens when "heat packing" comes to school.

Perhaps instead of setting up the framework for the next Troutdale, Sparks, or Newtown, can't we consider taking action to prevent more of these horrific tragedies? Perhaps instead of creating an environment of even more fear and bloodshed, can't we ensure our schools actually provide a safe and welcoming environment where our kids can focus on learning?

The Price of Inaction

Over the weekend, the nation commemorated a tragic anniversary. It's now been a year since the Newtown Massacre. Communities across the nation came together to mark the saddening anniversary, and to pledge to continue working for a better future for our children.

There was even a vigil in Southern Nevada. It was a chance for the local community to reflect on what's happened in the past year.

Licensed family therapist and retired teacher Linda Cavazos says she sees more fear and generalized anxiety disorder in younger children. Some of them are fearful of violence in their schools, she says, so parents need to talk to their kids often to assess their physical and emotional needs.

"The danger signals are there. They're calling out for help, but sometimes people stick heads in the sand," Cavazos said. She added that parents know their kids best and should encourage them to seek mental health treatment if necessary.

"I find if you do not answer their questions (about violence in schools), they (the children) become more fearful because they don't know what's going on. Explain it to them as simply as you can," said Cavazos.

Imagine hearing gunshots at your school. Wouldn't that be frightening? It certainly was for the students at Sandy Hook Elementary School... And for the students at Sparks Middle School.

Keep in mind that gun violence is not some faraway concern. It regularly occurs here, too. It happened in Sparks. It's happened several times this year on the Las Vegas Strip. And it continues to endanger communities across this state.

Yet when Senator Dean Heller (R-NRA) had the opportunity to do something to protect Nevada's kids, he just ran away. And when Rep. Joe Heck (R-NRA) had the opportunity to take steps to keep dangerous weapons away from dangerous criminals, he made excuses. And when the Nevada Legislature passed S 221 in an attempt to compensate somewhat for Congress' failure to pass the most basic gun safety measures, Governor Brian Sandoval (R-NRA) vetoed it and attempted to cover it up with legalese mumbo jumbo. They all had the chance to do something, but they chose to do nothing instead.

And now, we're all paying the price of inaction. And we all must relive the memories of horrific incidents of gun violence. And we all must continue to bury those who passed "before their time". The price of inaction is turning out to be quite steep.

Bloody Victory

Sadly, this has become all too common in America today. All this year, mass shootings and epic gun violence have made headlines. We've even seen it awfully close to home recently with the Sparks Middle School shooting up north and yet another Las Vegas Strip shooting down south.

Last Friday, history repeated itself again. And this time, it happened at LAX.

The unemployed motorcycle mechanic suspected in the deadly shooting at the Los Angeles airport set out to kill multiple employees of the Transportation Security Administration and hoped the attack would "instill fear in their traitorous minds," authorities said Saturday.

Paul Ciancia was so determined to take lives that, after shooting a TSA officer and going up an escalator, he turned back to see the officer move and returned to finish him off, according to surveillance video reviewed by investigators.In a news conference announcing charges against Ciancia, U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte Jr. spelled out a chilling chain of events at LAX that began when Ciancia strode into Terminal 3, pulled a Smith & Wesson .223-caliber assault rifle from his duffel bag and fired repeatedly at point-blank range at a TSA officer. The officer was checking IDs and boarding passes at the base of an escalator leading to the main screening area.

After killing that officer, Ciancia fired on at least two other uniformed TSA employees and a civilian airline passenger, who were all wounded. Airport police eventually shot him as panicked passengers cowered in stores and restaurants.

Apparently, Paul Ciancia was motivated by "New World Order" and anti-government conspiracy theories and ready to kill anyone in sight. He succeeded in killing on-duty TSA officer Gerardo Hernandez. He also wounded Calabasas High School performing arts teacher Brian Ludmer, along with TSA officers James Speer and Tony Grigsby.

So how did this happen? How did one of the world's busiest airports become a bloody battlefield? As usual, we can thank the NRA for this.

Over the last decade, the NRA hasrepeatedly lobbied against airport firearm restrictions. According to the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, states including Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin either expressly allow firearms in specific sections or only prohibit firearms in airports beyond checkpoints.

And in California in 2012, the NRA formally opposed Assembly Bill 2182, which would have required a person be arrested if they brought a firearm into the airport and ban them from entering in the future. The bill never moved from committee. More recently, bills introduced in Virginia, Georgia, and Ohio would allow people to carry their weapons inside. [...]

When the TSA subjected a girl carrying a firearm-shaped purse to extra questioning, the NRA responded that this extra precaution constituted harassment. “We shouldn’t be surprised that security personnel who see nothing wrong with humiliating 85-year-old women at our nation’s airports might see a teenage girl sporting a purse with a firearm motif as a potential danger,” NRA President David Keene said at the time. “But it should upset us as much as it did her and her parents.” The extra scrutiny may be needed: TSA agents have confiscated 30 percent more guns from passengers, many of them loaded, in 2013 compared to last year. Most travelers say they “forgot” they had the firearm, which has made sociologists think the trend is a result of people being permitted to carry their guns virtually anywhere.

Once again, the NRA can declare bloody victory. The gun lobby has pushed hard in Carson City and on Capitol Hill to kill even the most modest gun safety legislation. So why is anyone surprised by the bitter fruit of the gun lobby's bloody victory?

There's "something evil in our society". And what are we doing about it? What are we willing to do to root it out and end the senseless bloodshed? What will we do to stop this bloody victory from claiming even more innocent lives?

We Need More Than Just Words.

This week so far has been a sad one here in Nevada. We saw multiple incidents of gun violence on both ends of the state claim lives and make waves in the media. And today, Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Carson City) paid tribute to Michael Landsberry, the 8th grade math teacher who died in his effort to protect his students at Sparks Middle School.



Meanwhile, Senator Dean Heller (R) tweeted a photo of the US Capitol flag being lowered to half staff to mark the lives lost at Sparks Middle School on Monday.

We now know the assailant used a Ruger 9mm semiautomatic handgun that he brought from his home. He was a 7th grader at Sparks Middle School.



Of course, this isn't the only tragedy that this state is mourning. In Southern Nevada, friends and family are mourning the loss of Kenneth Brown. He was a club promoter and stand-up comedian who recently moved from Los Angeles to Las Vegas to be closer to his mother. He died Monday morning in an effort to prevent Benjamin Frazier from killing any more after Frazier shot a bouncer and a security guard at Bally's on the Las Vegas Strip.



Apparently, Benjamin Frazier opened fire over a cover charge dispute at Drai's After Hours. He used a .38 caliber Smith & Wesson revolver that was not registered in Nevada. He also had a running rap sheet before this week, including a 1997 conviction for assault with a deadly weapon at another local nightclub.



Down here in Southern Nevada, the Bally's Shooting was just one in a recent string of gun violence incidents on the Las Vegas Strip. And up in Northern Nevada, the Sparks Middle School Shooting was just one in an ongoing string of attempted (and sometimes successful) mass shootings. Yet while politicians send out the usual tweets of condolence and deliver the usual somber floor speeches, we've yet to see meaningful action on gun violence.

Senator Dean Heller had an opportunity to do so, but he was too busy catering to his "TEA" fueled base. Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) also had an opportunity to do so, but... Ditto. Rep. Mark Amodei hasn't even tried to hide his allegiance to the NRA. And Governor Brian Sandoval (R) just didn't want to be bothered with reality.

Here's the problem. We regularly see politicians send tweets of condolence and deliver somber floor speeches, yet we rarely see leaders reevaluate the status quo and make a real effort to save lives. Are background checks and guidelines for safe gun storage really "too much to ask"? Are gun industry profits truly that much more important than saving people's lives?

This week, we've heard plenty of words describing the pain several families throughout Nevada are experiencing this week. But now, we need more than just words. We need actions to match those words. When will that happen?

Something Good in Our Society

Yesterday, a school was attacked. A teacher died. A student killed him and wounded two other students before killing himself. And a community is still in mourning.

Yet today, we have a chance to reflect on the final heroic act of Sparks Middle School math teacher Michael Landsberry. He tried to take the gun from the shooter. And while he couldn't succeed at that, he succeed at preventing further deaths at Sparks Middle School.



Michael Landsberry died in an effort to protect his students. He committed the ultimate act of heroism. And he reminded us of all the heroic acts our public school teachers commit all the time.

So why are we still listening to those nebulous (billionaire) forces trying to convince us that teachers are "lazy, greedy, and inherently evil"? Why are teachers so often blamed for everything wrong in public education, then expected to work more for less? Why is it OK to constantly berate teachers for just doing their job?

It's saddening to think that it had to take a teacher dying to break through the glitzy campaign to attack teachers. But perhaps today, we can all reflect on the invaluable role that teachers serve in our society... And why so many of them are everyday heroes.



The NRA and the rest of the gun lobby want us to believe that "the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun". That's clearly not true. There are far more effective ways to do so, such as preventing those "bad guys" from obtaining guns. And of course, we can invest in the kind of social safety net that prevents troubled kids from becoming "bad guys with guns".

So why have we allowed our schools to become armed battlefields? Why can't we instead restore our schools and let them become launch pads for a brighter future?

Yesterday, we once again saw something evil in our society. But now, we're also learning more about something good in our society. Public education is part of the foundation of a better society, and our teachers do amazing work to help students realize their full potential. Why can't we do more to strengthen that something good in our society?

So Much Bloodshed in Just One Day

What a day this has been. This morning, we awoke to the horrific news of yet another Las Vegas Strip shooting. This time, it occurred just outside Drai's Nightclub at Bally's. One victim was shot dead, and two more were wounded.



Unfortunately, that wasn't all. This morning, Las Vegas Metro Police were also investigating a shooting at an apartment complex in East Las Vegas. Two people died in that shooting.

And then, there was today's horrific Sparks Middle School Shooting. The assailant shot a teacher dead, wounded two students, and then shot himself dead.



And now, we know Michael Landsberry was the 8th grade math teacher who was shot dead today in Sparks. He was a Marine Corps veteran who also coached the school's soccer team. He attempted to take the gun from the shooter this morning... Yet while he failed to do that, he posthumously succeeded in preventing an even greater tragedy.

Sadly, this is becoming increasingly common throughout America. Mass shootings regularly pop up in news reports. And they keep claiming more innocent lives. And that's in addition to the other incidents of gun violence that don't attract as much media attention.

This is the sad reality we're living in. We've seen so much bloodshed in just one day. There's something wrong with this. What will we do about it?

(Still) Something Evil in Our Society

Last month, she had to say it. Really, someone had to. Dr. Janis Orlowski had witnessed the carnage of the Navy Yard Shooting, and she couldn't stay silent on what was obvious to her.



And here we are again. Yes, there's been another one. And this time, it's very close to home.

This morning, a student opened fire at Sparks Middle School. He shot dead a teacher who spotted him with the gun, then shot two other victims. He later shot himself dead.



Of course, everyone is sending thoughts and prayers to the community. And of course, that's always much appreciated.

But you know what will also be much appreciated? Action. And by action, I mean action on gun violence.

How many more of these must we endure? How many more people must die? How many more families must mourn?

Fortunately for everyone else at Sparks Middle School, a teacher was willing to lay down his own life to save other lives. But really, should it be acceptable that teachers now have to think of the dangers associated with their career? When did it become acceptable for our schools to resemble battlefields?

Today, we mourn another tragedy. But once again, we must remind ourselves and others that it doesn't have to be this way. We don't have to ignore that "something evil in our society".