The WRight Way

By Ron Wright

(Cazenovia, NY – Feb. 2013Wright, Ron) What if, during the December Newtown, Conn., school murders, several of the courageous women who rushed the shooter were trained in handgun use and were carrying permitted concealed carry firearms? Who would wish against this? They were in fact, unarmed heroes with an impossible task. The chances are great that the number of innocent deaths could have been reduced had those school employees been trained and armed.

Schools exist for education but, like any other public institution or organization, cannot afford the luxury of not having a risk management plan. Banks, airports, certain politicians, certain celebrities and other individuals and groups factor in protection including lethal force elements, by necessity. A risk assessment for schools would include acknowledging a statistically low probability that an armed intruder will attack but that such an attack may have great and terrible consequences.

There are several schools of thought in play on the subject of firearm violence and violence in general. One is to be a victim and not fight back as if pacifism was in itself a most noble mental state. I believe most people reject this.

Another position is one of excuses. We don’t want our schools to become “armed camps.” Or we don’t want an armed good guy injuring an innocent person by mistake. Or maybe the violent criminal will change his mind when he aims at the next victim. What if the good guy were unsuccessful? And on and on. Continuing in this mode assures that the good guys have most all end-point options taken away and are rendered essentially defenseless.

A third is that of the unknown. First we must agree that the intruder is the bad guy who must be stopped with lethal force probably being necessary. You don’t have to be “fair” about what you do regarding him. You do not think like a criminal bent on murdering innocents. The general public does not need to know if your plane’s pilot is armed or unarmed or if there are armed or unarmed Federal sky marshals onboard your flight.

Certainly the passengers on board the Sept. 11, 2001, flights would have given anything for anonymous armed good guys in the planes.

Here we need to get specific and consider multiple defensive opportunities as they present themselves. Is it a good or a bad thing that a violent criminal does not know who may be unarmed or armed in the school or theatre or mall? Or that there may be unknown obstacles to his preplanned mayhem? When an intruder gets to the end of a school hallway and must decide to turn left or right, what could influence such a decision?

What about hidden cameras? What about certain sounds like Doppler affect synthesized police sirens? Or focused lights or written signs or analogs that the intruder encounters during his surely emotionally charged walk down the halls and through various portals? His mind must be racing, focusing on his vile mission.

Utilize subtle, confusing and questionable situations that add to the complexity of his nefarious objective. Gain time for you. Use up his time. So to alter his decisiveness and allow authorities to gain reaction time, present the intruder with some 60-40 percent choices or even 51-49 percent choices or permutations thereof. The mixture should be novel, innovative, unexpected.

Following up on this, consider technologies already on the shelf and possibly being used by security organizations, police, military, covert agencies, etc. We read about visual cloaking rendering certain things right in front of you, virtually invisible.

Camouflage strategies, polarity manipulation of light, flashing or strobe lights and so forth. One-way mirrors and windows. Windows with images on them that are different from what is actually on the other side. Door locking/unlocking strategies.

There exists astounding infrasound and infrared radiation technologies in the realm of disabling rioters, troop formations and individuals have been documented for at least 75 years – lots of technologies that can be economically computer-controlled and utilizing all sorts of innovative algorithms. Such a system would be latent until the school comes under attack or invasion.

The development of plausible systems utilizing existing technologies and considering the huge market of thousands of schools and other public buildings should be very economically attractive. These approaches would work well in concert with armed uniformed resource officers who may or may not be present at any particular location or time within the facility.

I have no particular knowledge about current activities that government or security organizations may be planning or employing, but I believe the preceding has merit.

A final thought. Take down the stupid GUN FREE ZONE signs. Is there any better welcome mat for a thief or murderer entering a school or your home? If you need to have a sign, how about CRIME FREE ZONE.

Ron Wright of Cazenovia is a retiree with keen interest in his family, history, politics and his church. He began putting his thoughts on paper a little over a decade ago to share with family and friends. Ron, whose column appears the third edition each month, may be reached at madnews@m3pmedia.com.

By martha

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