A year ago, if you’d talked about getting a bullet proof vest, people would have thought you needed to see a psychiatrist. But now, I’m beginning to wonder if that’s what the future holds for people who step outside their homes. We who live in small towns don’t see mass shootings as something that would happen to us. After all, everyone knows everyone else, one way or another. Six degrees of separation are more like two when the population is under 100,000. But the truth is, we aren’t as safe as we think. Should we all wear body armor at work, school, church, and when shopping? If domestic terrorism continues at this year’s pace, the idea doesn’t seem so far out.

Should We all wear body armor? — Should We All Wear Body Armor? With so many mass shootings, the day may come,

Trouble is, bullet proof vests are expensive and uncomfortable. Going on the net, you find that one offering decent protection runs around $400. Say you’re a family of four. That’s fairly pricey. And do we really want to scare our kids by suggesting that they need to protect themselves from a knife or bullet?

There’s also the issue of inner wear and outer wear. Supposedly, it’s better if everyone can see that you’re wearing a protective vest. But I’m not so sure of that. If the perpetrator really wants to harm you, he’ll just aim for another place on your body that isn’t covered.

Contrary to popular belief, it is not illegal to purchase a bullet proof vest, unless you are a convicted felon. However, people might look at you oddly, and a police officer might view you with suspicion. On the other hand, if it became a common practice, you would fit right in with the crowd.

I’m seeing a business opportunity here for some enterprising entrepreneur. Come up with an inexpensive form of body armor. Mass produce bullet proof vests and sell them at Walmart in every size, even for kids. I’m betting they would sell out pretty fast.

If you think it’s been miserable being forced to wear masks during the pandemic, just wait until the government decides we all need to wear bullet proof vests.

We’re in shock this morning. Our hearts go out to the victims of the mass shootings in Texas and Ohio, and the lives that have been changed forever. We’re mourning a national tragedy.

GRIEVING FOR THE VICTIMS OF THIS WEEKEND OF TRAGEDY

Why do these things happen? I don’t remember any mass shootings while raising my children. Some presidential candidates are now politicizing the shootings. But forty years ago we had Democrats and Republicans and Jim Crow Laws and the Vietnam War. Mental illness was widely prevalent, but poorly understood or treated. And there was very little gun control.

This is what we didn’t have: the internet. There were no violent video games so readily available, desensitizing young men to violence. No one had a Facebook account, where people could brag and make other people envious. There was no Instagram or Twitter where you could publicly shame or bully someone to the point of suicide. Now, Instead of face to face relationships and real conversations, everyone just texts. We’ve almost forgotten what it’s like to talk to a real live person.

Technology has changed our world and done wondrous things for our society. But it’s also dehumanized us to the point where violence has become the norm.

Tag: domestic terrorism

SHOULD WE ALL WEAR BODY ARMOR?

Mourning A National Tragedy

We’re in shock this morning. Our hearts go out to the victims of the mass shootings in Texas and Ohio, and the lives that have been changed forever. We’re mourning a national tragedy.

Technology has changed our world and done wondrous things for our society. But it’s also dehumanized us to the point where violence has become the norm.