DePino: Vermont politicians refuse to do something that will actually stop an attack

Editor’s note: This commentary is by Bob DePino, vice president of Gun Owners of Vermont. He is a resident of Westminster.

In the latest Vermont Digger article (“Case against former student accused in shooting plot may hinge on ‘attempt’“) we get a rare glimpse into the mind of a potential school shooter:

“His first target, though, Sawyer told the detective, would have been the school resource officer, Scott Alkinburgh, a corporal in the Fair Haven Police Department. Sawyer said he would have taken out Alkinburgh first because he was the only person at the school who could possibly have stopped him.”

Here you see how the mind of someone with evil intent understands the fact that an armed presence will be the only way his attack will be thwarted, and the uniformed police officer must be a primary target.

In addition, the mind of a future mass murderer understands that locations with only one armed person are still desirable targets, and until that single armed responder arrives, the targeting of defenseless victims will be easy, quick and unhindered.

Whether the weapon is a firearm, a knife, a bomb or a combination of these, those who target school children often contemplate their actions for years — they are not “crazy” and unpredictable. They are, in fact, methodical, calculating, cold-blooded and very predictable, and therefore their actions are very preventable.

What is incomprehensible is the absolute refusal of the anti-gun mentality to even consider providing more security to our children.

You read the words of the person planning to commit mass murder that having only one armed guard would not prevent him from attempting the murder of children. Gun-free zones are a guarantee to the killer that there will be either absolutely no armed resistance, or extremely limited armed resistance. This only serves to embolden them.

So, knowing the mindset of the type of person planning to kill others, we can address that by arming our schools with more than one armed person. The fact that uniformed responders may be targeted first should be key in understanding that the element of surprise works to foul an otherwise meticulously planned attack. The addition of multiple armed faculty will add an additional layer of uncertainty and allow a multiplication of force in defense against such an attack. This will be a great deterrent against a future murderer’s evil plan. Murderers prefer easy targets. Killers confronted by armed resistance often take their own life instead of going to jail.

There are already highly qualified people working in many schools — ex-law enforcement, former military and even highly competent civilians — who will step up and volunteer to actively protect our most precious citizens. But still politicians refuse to do something that will actually stop an attack, and more probably, prevent an attack.

They refuse with the rhetoric that “more guns aren’t the answer.” They refuse with the rhetoric that “guns don’t make us safe.” They refuse with the rhetoric that “teachers shouldn’t have to carry a gun.” They refuse with the rhetoric that “teachers could shoot a child by mistake.” They refuse with the rhetoric that “guns in the classroom create tension and stress.” They refuse with the rhetoric that “even police trained in the use of firearms only have a 13 percent hit ratio.” The anti-gun mentality uses every excuse, including statistics from New York City, to deny our children actual security.

Universal background checks won’t stop a killer. Raising the legal age to buy a firearm won’t stop a killer. Getting a restraining order won’t stop a killer. Locking up your guns won’t stop a killer. Mandatory training courses won’t stop a killer. Raising penalties and fines won’t stop a killer. Active Shooter drills won’t stop a killer. Putting up a sign that says “No Firearms Permitted” won’t stop a killer. Passing 100 new laws will not stop a killer. The anti-gun politicians know this.

If we could save just one child’s life by arming a staff member, it would be worth it. Unless you need more bodies to stand on at your next gun control speech.

Image courtesy of St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office

19 thoughts on “DePino: Vermont politicians refuse to do something that will actually stop an attack

  1. I strongly support the implementation of a GRA (gun regulatory agency). The goal of this agency would to ensure that gun owners are licensed/insured and educated about the proper care and storage of their weapons. There would be a path to legal gun ownership and operation that is similar to the path that exists to obtain a driver’s license. I also strongly support the regulation of semi-automatic weapons that can fire off multiple rounds in quick succession. The easy access of these weapons combined with the lack of a GRA in this country, and the evil intent of some individuals has created our current, completely unacceptable situation. This solution seems reasonable to me, but as you probably suspect, I do not own a gun. I’m curious what, if any, arguments, current gun owners have against this idea. A little inconvenience is worth it if we can reign in this problem.

    • So you would be open to violating/Infringing of the Vermont and Federal Constitutions and use as justification drivers licenses/auto registration,one is a privilege and the other a natural civil right.

      The last time some elected petty tyrant tried a permit scheme in Vermont it didn’t fare well in the Vermont supreme court,and I quote.

      “The result is that Ordinance No. 10, so far as it relates to the carrying of a pistol, is inconsistent with and repugnant to the Constitution and the laws of the state, and it is therefore to that extent, void.”

      (Supreme Court of Vermont. Rutland. May 30, 1903.)
      [Cite as State v. Rosenthal, 75 Vt. 295, 55 A. 610 (1903).]

      http://www.guncite.com/court/state/55a610.html

      Something Mr.Dr. Franklin said comes to mind for this situation you raised.

      ‘They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.’

      libertyfund.org/quotes/484

  2. I am a teacher working in a gun-free zone every day. The hacks at the VT NEA leadership do not represent all teachers in their whining fear of arming teachers. I am a teacher who must hide in the dark closet with students while waiting for a police response. I am willing to get the training to carry every day.

  3. First of all most of this dissertation is BS. You did not learn a thing about the mind of All shooter that perpetrate these kinds of atrocities from just one kid,obviously. To say he’s not crazy because he’d been plotting for whatever amount of time is rediculous! He’s plotting on killing people! That in itself qualifys as mentally unstable. Over half of the shooters in these instances commit suicide which would be another good indicator and I’d further to guess the other half were trying to do the same thing through the hands of the police. People that plot for extended periods of time often have reason (in their own mind) to do so. Socially outcast, bullied, demeaned, chastised whatever the case, it makes the feel justified in their actions. Don’t fool yourselves, this is just as much a mental health issue as anything else, but not just of the shooter. Arming our schools will do absolutely nothing to detour someone whose target is their antagonist. What would be a more suitable course of action would be to make public our schools military schools tied into the military budget. Not only would our schools be under the financial umbrella of our rediculously bloated military budget, but it will teach our kids all the things they’re lacking under the current system. Inclusion, teamwork, ethics, responsibility, reliability, reliance on others and so on and including self-defense. It would be solving two problems with one action without just creating another target for a shooter. This will also aid in preserving the 2nd amendment. Don’t get me wrong, this is only a suggestion (as is all these crackpot purposals being put forth from both sides of the isle) and not a absolute guarantee, but it is my belief that it’s a far more forward thinking purposal than anything I’ve heard to date

    • It was my job to plan ways on how to kill people… Does that mean I have have mental health problems? Though the second half of your statement I could get behind.

    • Mike , No , No, No ……… The liberal thinkers , think if there were any Uniforms in class
      it’s will be ” traumatic ” to the Kids , along with the Liberals rhetoric that ” Black Gun ”
      are the problem …………….sure !!

      Lets see an inanimate object is the problem, not the human intervention ?????

      It better to let little Johnny play in his room with a Video game shooting up everything,
      now that’s good parenting !!

  4. When will you realize that solving the problem removes their reason for existing. The Progs require a bogyman at which to point each election cycle saying “Vote for Me so I can finish the job”. Without that line of chatter, all progressives would be standing in the public square with their bare faces hanging out.

    They have NO intention of making schools safe; they want to ban guns. Free men own guns, slaves don’t.

  5. Unfortunately for all of us, anything short of storming the golden dome to tar and feather all the SOB’s that desperately deserve it, we will have to endure more of the same. We vote in a republican governor and we get a turncoat. We vote in a local girl I’ve known for a long time, and she does the exact same thing. Went from being all for school choice to the hard party liberal line of needing schools that are equitable. It’s all in who pays you to say what as far as I’m concerned. The day politics becomes a strictly volunteer position is the day I’ll believe that a politician truly cares what I have to say.

    • One of the most aggravating things I hear from an elected official is that they ‘voted their conscience’. I don’t care about their conscience – they’re called a ‘Representative’ for a reason – they are supposed to represent the district that put them in office. If they can’t understand this simple fact, they have no business being a politician.

      • If they only understood that concept,it’s a representative form of government to represent the constituents views that elected you,not what you want or heaven forbid FEEL.

        Time to send out a massive amount of pink slips this November

  6. I find it very hypocritical that most of our gun grabbing Senators and House members are protected by armed officers. The Governor has a State Trooper protecting him. But the children don’t need the protection, we will just pass laws making guns illegal. We see how well that has stopped the drug epidemic. By the way Politicians all of the guns used in the last 2 years tragedies had been purchased with Background checks. So stop trying to take our guns so you can feel safe in the state house with your armed guards protecting you.

  7. Our family and relatives have all agreed that we will never vote for a democrat ever again. We are all red now!

  8. Montpelier, what can you say about our politicians . Well not much, but we can say that they cannot balance a budget, but they can raise taxes ??

    Now they are going to protect us all, they have written three ( Feel Good) bills, all revolving around
    guns , Why ??

    Vermont dosen’t have a GUN Problem, nope and that not just me, search the Federal data base we have A Safe State !!

    As we all know guns are used in crime and so are other items, but guns are the only item of concern Why ?? ……. AGENDA .

    They don’t like putting the emphasis on Mental Illness or Criminal activity, because they would really have to earn there keep !! We all know that is the crutch of the matter, except our elected officials only believe taking away they rights of law abiding citizens is the answer, Why ?? ……. AGENDA

    We do have a real Problem in Vermont, it’s liberal minded (transplants ) writting feel good policy of no value, as you can see the dismal state that VT is in….. Why ??…… You guessed it .

    Go on ( VT.Gov ) and read the Bio’s on your elected officials … Yup, they all have more paper work then a new puppy, the problem is the puppy has more common sense !!

    Wake up Vermont ……………

  9. In Vermont the safest state in the nation we are struggling with the Socialists who are trying to impose gun control on the hard-working tax-paying honest gun owners in this state

    This is an email I sent to Maxine Grad the head of the committee that is hell-bent on destroying gun

    Dear Maxine,

    I don’t believe there is a person in America that is not concerned about what has taken place in our schools as far as shootings go.

    The solution to this program is not imposing more laws on the hard-working, law abiding, tax-paying gun owners of Vermont.

    There is no way you can legislate mental illness or drug abuse. Nor do you or I or anyone else for that matter have an idea when someone is going to have an issue that drives them over the edge.

    It has been proven time and time again that more laws do not prevent anything as has been witnessed through the many laws that have been passed that prohibit the use of drugs in Vermont yet the use continues to rise on a daily basis.

    Drugs are also the driving Factor in the crimes committed in Vermont.

    We are a state with one of the biggest drug problems in America yet the people under the golden dome in Montpelier passed a law making marijuana legal in our state.

    I just don’t understand how that could happen… does it make sense to add to an existing problem that there seems to be no cure for?

    We know our school children accessed drugs prior to making this drug legal now it will add to the many crimes taking place in Vermont.

    We know the children are driving under the influence of marijuana while texting and killing 11 people per day.. yet the decision was made to increase this problem and the deaths on the roads in Vermont. Where was the common sense in the push to allow more drugs on our streets to be accessed by our children?

    This will lead to more break-ins into houses and into vehicles… we both know in these break-ins guns are stolen from honest gun owners and then sold on the streets, without a background check, to criminals so these teens can purchase more drugs with the money they make off the stolen guns or to trade the guns to drug dealers for drugs for their own use or to sell to their friends.

    Certainly you must understand that this will lead to more criminals having guns on the streets in Vermont without background checks due to legislation that should have never been passed.

    I cannot believe that the ones we trusted and elected to make Intelligent Decisions to better the state of Vermont have sold us down this bad path.

    There has been absolutely no common sense approach TO drugs in the state of Vermont and keeping them out of the hands of children.

    Now in your committee in spite of the fact that the gun owners in this state backed the bill s221 because it had due process for those that were accused and it would take guns away from those that should not have them, with the help of a governor that completely lied to the gun owners in this state, this committee has turned its back on the common sense approach that gave this bill full support and passed unanimously.

    Now in the safest state in the nation it has become important to punish those that for over 200 years have made sure it has remained this way.

    There are no people, including you or anyone under the golden dome in Montpelier, that value and respect the gun laws more than the gun owners in this state as they have proven time and time again.

    I am a lifelong Vermonter and it is an insult to myself my family members and other Vermonters to have people come into this state the safest state in the nation and try to legislate what we must do to remain safe.

    Common Sense dictates that places that have imposed the strictest gun laws are the most unsafe places to be. this has been proven to be true time and time again.

    Passing any additional gun laws only places an unnecessary financial burden on the gun owners in this state as well as repetitive laws that can already be enforced by the existing laws.

    We are in the SAFEST state in the nation as far as guns are concerned.

    We should be concentrating on an educational system where we spend too much money to educate less students each year.

    We live in a state where fuel costs are financially destroying the people in the state of Vermont.

    We live in a state where we need jobs and people are struggling financially not able to put food on their table and survive the tax and spend policies that have been imposed upon us.

    We are living in a state where Vermonters are being forced to relocate to other states because they can no longer bear the Socialist agenda that is out to destroy them.

    I could go on and on and on and yes this list is long and should be addressed but what have we decided to waste our time on?

    Laws against gun owners in the safest in the nation.

    I do not understand why the legislators elected in this state always decide that they should vote their conscience when it is not their conscience that elects them.

    This is a letter that was posted in a group from a young man and one of our schools..

    This is one of the children that you are supposedly trying to protect… well I think this should explain to you what needs to be done in Vermont and it certainly has nothing to do with guns.

    I think your time and efforts would be better directed towards solving these problems then punishing those that don’t break the laws.

    Until we stop the destruction of the minds of our children in some of our schools and start teaching Reading Writing and arithmetic and respect in our schools you will never put an end to the problems we are seeing in America.

    We both know these problems were non-existent until we allowed the indoctrination of our children under the guise of being educated in the public school system.

    As a 16 year old attending high school, I sit day after day with my brainwashed peers, listening and watching as they and the teachers preach gun control and gun grabbing, unfortunately for me and others like me, whenever we speak our mind or voice our opinions we are immediately shot down, the school system is failing us, not in the means of protecting the students, but in protecting free speech and personal liberties. Public schooling is a massively left leaning establishment that is as integrated into politics as it has ever been. It really is a shame, that the teachers do not allow secondary viewpoints to their own, it’s the students job to form their political opinion not the schools. On the issue of gun control the perspective is unanimous. Vermont’s government has failed us; failed at upholding our constitutional rights.

    ………………….

    I realize you came here from New York where there are tons of problems and they never seem to cure those problems.. but as Vermonters we are proud and we do everything we can do to cure problems within our communities without our constitutional rights being trampled on.

    In closing I am asking you to do the right thing for everyone in Vermont and that is not to impose any gun laws that violate the civil rights of those that have lived in this state their complete lives and those people that have moved here because we have always been a state that has not imposed on the public that chooses to reside here.

    A good bill was proposed and accepted and instead of doing the right thing a decision was made to tear it apart and reintroduce it without any regard for the civil rights of the people in the great state of Vermont.

    These bills infringe on the rights of the law-abiding women, children and men in the state of Vermont.

    I do not care if you are aligned with the Democrats or the Republicans or the Independents these bills should bother everyone that live in this state because they are an infringement on our very freedoms.

    I will be anxiously awaiting your response.

    Thank you,

    Richard Ley

    • Perfect. This answer should be read by all, and possibly copied and sent to all of our so-called legislators. If they treated gun ownership like they treat drugs, they’d have every kid in the state carrying guns to school in their lunch box. I can’t help but wonder if they prefer that their ‘favorite form of recreation’ being drugs, is overcoming their fear of them. “Drugs are good, guns are bad”.

  10. Liberals can not understand common sense, it’s that simple. The only other thing is that it goes against their narrative to disarm American citizens which also defies common sense!

  11. The politicians in Vermont care more about marijuana and getting rid of all guns instead of attacking the real issues. They want to look good and be politically correct. It’s time to clean house in this State for it is going down the tubes quick..

Comments are closed.