FALWELL’S FOLLY

           Following the terrorist mass killings in San Bernadino, California in December 2015, Jerry Falwell, Jr., the president of faith-based Liberty University, urged his students to get concealed carry permits and buy guns. In his comments he said, “If more good people had concealed carry permits, then we could end those Muslims before they walk in.”

            What happened to the commandment “thou shalt not kill?” To urge young people, with their raging hormones, to get guns is asking for a bloodbath. If people are shooting each other on school grounds how will the police to know who is the killer and who is defending himself or herself?

            In my research on school shootings I have interviewed campus police. All are adamantly opposed to arming students. What does Falwell know that police and security specialists don’t know?  The answer is nothing.

            Then there is the problem of discrimination against a group of people with a different religion. Reverend Falwell seems to forget (or not know) that Muslim-Americans are fighting and dying for this country. Muslims Americans have served in the U.S. military for over 200 years and currently there are over 5,000 Muslim Americans in the various branches of the U.S. armed forces.

Yes, we are targets of both domestic and foreign terrorists, but mindless, emotional responses to these tragedies from leaders only make the situation worse and do not do anything to prevent these killings.