The brutal and preventable mass murder of innocents including school children is always followed by an understandably strong emotional reaction.

What's helpful are parents, teachers and local politicians stepping up to bring practical measures that help keep kids safer than they were before the tragedy. One woman decided in the wake of the Sandy Hook murders to give her nieces doorstops. Thinking that a small item wedged in the door of a classroom could stop a would be killer from gaining access. I thought about this and discussed it on Chasing News during our Tuesday taping. It's actually a good idea — not that kids and doorstops would or should be the line of defense against a massacre, but because it's an action. It's not a talking point. It's a practical, real-world solution from a loving aunt that fears the next shooting is going to kill one of her own nieces.

It's disgraceful that we're at this point in our society, but here we are. How did the greatest country on earth get to the point of leaving our children defenseless at school? There are many reasons that will be discussed and debated throughout the next few weeks. The failure of local law enforcement in Florida after dozens of visits to the killers home, the failure of social workers not recognizing the credible threat. The failure of anyone in authority to report the disruptive and dangerous behavior of this troubled young man, which could have prevented him from buying the weapon in the first place.

The real reason we're here is that politicians like Gov. Phil Murphy are more interested in talking points to curry favor with left-leaning primary voters in 2020 than preventing tragedies. New Jersey has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation. What we need is security at our schools. We still have schools that strangers can access and enter without so much as a locked door to stop them.

Where is the call from the pols like Murphy about adults taking action when social media posts go off the rails? Where's the outcry to hold social media billion dollar giants accountable for leaving posts up, which clearly cross lines into potentially deadly criminal behavior.

Authorities were called to the Florida killers home nearly forty times over the past few years. No one spoke up. This tragedy was entirely preventable. But preventing the murder of children through commonsense legislation that would have mental illness reported to prevent the purchase of firearms only speaks to a part of the solution.

We need to accept in a nation that was forged through violent revolution and maintains a balance between free citizens and government that guns play a role. That's right, armed people are free people. To all those NJ students protesting for more gun laws, go home. Go back to class and wipe away some of that ignorance. The second amendment is there to protect against tyranny. It's not about hunting, sports shooting or collectors. It's about maintaining the precarious balance between the governed and the governing. Does anyone think that humanity has evolved beyond slavery and tyranny? Ask the people suffering in the middle east, South America and Africa if it's safe to disarm free people.
Most school kids today don't get that because they are simply not taught to understand the history of America. Shame on parents and teachers who have allowed the knowledge and understanding of our foundation to erode over time. But here we are. So what do we do about it?

First. Encourage local school districts to hire and assign armed guards to monitor visitors and return fire if the worst were to happen. Reports from Columbine discuss just how the presence of an armed sheriff may have prevented additional carnage.

Second. Metal detectors and ID checks to enter school. And lock the doors. One entrance in and out. No one in the school except students and staff during the day. A metal detector can be purchased for less than $3,000. Considering how many superintendents got five figure bonuses last year to avoid the salary cap, we have the money.

Third. Report threats on social media to law enforcement. Social workers in conjunction with law enforcement could have prevented the legal purchase of the weapon in Florida and perhaps have gotten the shooter the help that he clearly needed. Perhaps it's time to hold Social Media companies responsible for some of the more egregious content on their sites. I had a great conversation with Dallas Police Sgt. Demetrick Pennie on the show Tuesday discussing this overdue idea.

Fourth. Vote against politicians who are more interested in reviving decades old talking points instead of addressing the clear and present danger of evil doers walking among us. It's clear to many that the 1994 assault weapon ban wasn't the reason for a drop in crime. For 25 years, crime has been declining, thanks in large part to aggressive policing.

Perhaps the doorstop isn't the real answer, but it's time to start discussing practical, local solutions that may actual save lives.

Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015. Tweet him @NJ1015 or @BillSpadea.

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