Bulletproof Backpacks for Children

Growing up I can remember school was the place I looked forward to being at the most. It gave me the opportunity to learn, have fun and create good memories with friends. It wasn't a place that I feared for my life. I can remember practicing fire and tornado drills for safety purposes. It wasn't a place that I had to learn active shooter drills or carry a bulletproof backpack. Why is this normal now?

I can remember watching news coverage of the Columbine school shooting in 1999 in tears. I felt so sorry for the innocent lives taken in a place that should be safe for everyone daily. It was a traumatic experience for this country, and I can remember praying it didn't happen again. It's still happening. Parents send their children to school to learn, not to become victims of murder. Tragedy can happen anywhere at any time, but it's now part of the American culture to expect a mass shooting in a classroom. The thought is sickening and disturbing to process. Since The Columbine mass shooting, there has been 169 people killed in mass school shootings in America, and the government wants to focus on mental health issues. The issue come from access to assault weapons. Since the government won't fix the actual issue, will it become a requirement that all children carry a bulletproof backpack to school?

Are the children supposed to be trained to protect themselves from mass shooters, or is it the government's responsibility to do their part to help prevent these tragedies?

On 5/14/22 an 18-year-old white male, targeted a black neighborhood grocery store in Buffalo, NY and killed 10 people. He was able to purchase an assault weapon, after he was evaluated for making threats towards his high school in 2021. Yes, he made threats and wasn't put on the FBI's list for terroristic threats. He wasn't shy about letting it be known his feelings towards black people and let his intentions for that day be known using an online chat. This situation was racially motivated from a white supremacist. The media calls this a mental health issue. Racism is a choice, not a mental health issue. He is still alive and waiting on a trial. Ten days later on 5/24/22 in Uvalde, TX another 18-year-old shot his grandmother, then went into an elementary school and killed 19 children and 2 teachers. He was able to purchase two assault rifles within two days of his 18th birthday. This shooter was killed by law enforcement. Once again, the media wants to blame this on mental health, because he was bullied. Being bullied can affect someone's mental health, but it not an excuse to kill anybody.

Why the hell does an 18-year-old have access to assault weapons? It's legal during the adolescent phase. No background check is required, no waiting period, no mental health screenings or questions asking what the gun is being used for. An 18-year-old CAN'T purchase liquor, rent cars, gamble, etc. Common everyday adult activities are limited at this, age, BUT they can legally purchase weapons that can be used to kill multiple people within seconds.

In 1994 President Bill Clinton signed the Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act, that banned assault weapons. It expired in 2004 and has been a debate. Why?

The focus isn't fixing the gun problem in this country, at this point. The government is enabling mass shootings by not putting restrictions on purchasing weapons and making assault weapons illegal. So, the solution to help save the lives of children in schools is bulletproof backpacks? What's next, send the kids to school in full body armor? Gym class will become military bootcamp drill workouts? Why should our children be prepared for war, when we should be protected with laws in place to protect us all? There is a reason why other countries don't have this issue; they have laws that prevent their citizens from legally having access to assault weapons. Nobody wants to take the 2nd Amendment rights away. The issue is when the 2nd Amendment was signed assault rifles wasn't an option for the citizens to own. It gave citizens the rights to have weapons in their homes. Why should we have assault weapons now?

People should feel safe in a school, grocery store, church, movie theatre and at concerts. It's time for the American government to put human safety over political power and do the right thing.