Mass Shooter Crisis: America, Wake Up

America’s mass shooter crisis continues with the most recent heart-wrenching tragedy at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon on October 1, 2015.

Once again the soul of America is scarred.

During this senseless rampage, the worst mass shooting in Oregon history, nine people were killed and at least nine wounded.

Searching America’s Soul

As flags fly once again at half-staff, America must reverently pause and search its soul.

We must also recognize Chris Mintz, representing the finest character of America, who sacrificially placed himself in harm’s way to protect his classmates.

Despite Chris telling the gunman that “It’s my son’s birthday,” and attempting to block a doorway to protect his classmates, he was mercilessly shot numerous times.

Due to his selfless courage, a petition is circulating asking for Chris, a military veteran, be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Hopefully, heroes such as Chris and the many others including first responders at so many mass shooting incidents, will receive media attention, rather than the depraved actions of the assailants.

America must recognize our heroes, not continually glorify depravity by broadcasting the photos, manifestos, intentions, and ideologies of demented killers.

The Second Amendment: Enshrined Not Violated

One of my professional responsibilities over the last 30 years has included being a private security professional, coordinating armed security services.

America needs qualified armed security services, complementing law enforcement dedication, to safeguard society from individuals with nefarious criminal intentions.

Law-abiding citizens must also have their enshrined Second Amendment rights honored and never violated.

But there are individuals who should be unequivocally denied gun access by our Second Amendment that is exemplified by the following tragedies:

Virginia Tech – Thirty-two people are shot dead, including 27 students and five faculty members, and another 17 were wounded the deadliest shooting by a single gunman in U.S. history. The gunman should have never been able to purchase a gun because a court order had previously declared him a danger to himself.

Lafayette Movie Theater – Two people were killed and nine wounded by a shooter who was denied a state-issued concealed weapons permit because he was accused of domestic violence and soliciting arson. The killer was also ordered by a judge to a psychiatric hospital but purchased a weapon legally despite fears from his family members that he was violent and mentally ill.

Emanuel A.M.E. Church – Nine people were killed by an individual who should have been denied purchasing a .45-caliber Glock pistol because he was charged with a misdemeanor and had admitted to possessing drugs. There was a breakdown in the federal gun background check system with FBI Director James B. Comey honestly stating, “We wish we could turn back time. From this vantage point, everything seems obvious.”

Marysville High School, Washington – A 15-year-old used his father’s pistol to kill four students. The father should have been denied the gun purchase since he was the subject of a permanent domestic violence order that was never entered into the federal criminal background database.

Washington Navy Yard – Although he sought treatment for psychiatric issues and told police detailed psychotic experiences, the killer was able to buy a shotgun in Virginia used to kill 12 people. He had been denied an assault rifle purchase.

Newtown, Connecticut – 26 people, mostly children, were killed by a 20-year-old known to have psychiatric and anxiety issues as well as an obsessive-compulsive disorder. He had access to his mother’s guns, which he also used to kill her.

Aurora, Colorado Theater – Although seeing a psychiatrist, and even if for serious mental health issues, weapons were legally purchased by a man who used them to kill 12 people and wounded 70 others.

Tucson, Arizona – Although arrested for drug paraphernalia and a year later failing Army enlistment drug testing, the killer legally brought a handgun to kill six people. He also shot U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords, leaving her with a severe brain injury.

Final Reflections

America must search its soul and take back the nation from this mass shooter scourge.

We will be on the path to reawakening the nation when law-abiding citizens have their enshrined Second Amendment rights honored in a manner consistent with reasonable regulations.

Yet, America is also obligated to protect society from individuals that have no right to firearms because of criminal intentions, backgrounds, or disqualifying mental health issues that demand countermeasures for security rather than enabling the crisis.

Note Well

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As authored for Vincent’s weekly column titled “Reawakening the Nation” for the Epoch Times, 35 countries, 21 languages and growing.

Photo
1. Kyle Workman, his wife Christina, and their daughters Pepper (L) and Samantha attend a prayer service and candlelight vigil at River Bend Park to remember the victims of the mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in nearby Roseburg, in Winston, Oregon, on Oct. 3, 2015. On Thursday 26-year-old Chris Harper Mercer went on a shooting rampage at the college killing nine people and wounding another nine before killing himself. Both Kyle and Christina were students at the school. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

2. Families Roseburg's Green Community Church and Lutheran Church Charities pause to pray at a memorial in front of Snyder Hall on the campus of Umpqua Community College, in Roseburg, Oregon, on Oct. 4, 2015. Chris Harper Mercer, 26, went on a shooting rampage Oct. 1 at the campus, killing nine people and wounding another nine before killing himself. Lacey says she believes she survived the shooting by playing dead next to the bleeding body of fellow student Treven Anspach, who died in the shooting. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

3. Umpqua Community College shooting survivor Mathew Downing (C) is greeted as he arrives on campus near Snyder Hall, in Roseburg, Oregon, on Oct. 5, 2015. Downing was reported to have been given a package by gunman Chris Harper-Mercer and told he was the 'lucky one' who would survive to deliver the package to authorities. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

4. Dean (L) and Tammy Hickok attend a prayer service and candlelight vigil at River Bend Park to remember the victims of the mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in nearby Roseburg, in Winston, Oregon, on Oct. 3, 2015. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)