School shootings continue to fill the media’s top news stories. Pair that with random shootings at malls and other businesses around the country and senseless violence from mentally unstable individuals divide the country more and more each day.

Cascade County Sheriff Jesse Slaughter has introduced a safety program for Cascade County Schools that has received positive response from the right and a less than favorable response from the left.  Cascade County Commissioner Don Ryan openly spoke against it on 560 KMON and US House of Representative Independent Candidate Gary Buchanan also told KMON he was against the idea.  Neither Ryan nor Buchanan spoke against gun ownership, just against having an armed covert in the schools.  On the other side of the political scale, US Senator Steve Daines and US House of Representative Matt Rosendale both applauded Sheriff Slaughter and told KMON that Cascade County is lucky to have him.

Keeping our kids safe should not be a political issue, yet here we are drawing a line using either a blue or a red crayon.  (Yes- I meant to use the word crayon as this has become very juvenile) The system in place does not work and that has been proven time and again.  Is it time to try Sheriff Slaughter’s program?

In my opinion the drug crisis has enhanced the mental health issues our country is facing.  It doesn’t matter how many gun laws we enact or how many politicians we have standing behind a lectern demanding change, until we fix the bigger issue, things are bound to get worse, not better.

I would like to make this an open dialogue of discussion using facts over emotion.  This is a very emotional topic, and rightly so. I have wept and prayed for the loss of so many young people and for the pain their families have gone through. I want to know what your thoughts are and if you have a suggestion or two or three on how to move forward.

You can leave a private or public message on our Facebook page, or a send me an email at randall.bogden@townsquaremedia.com  I will share your thoughts while keeping your name confidential.

 

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