Abstract

Guns and schools. You doubtless insist they don’t mix, but alas, the brute fact is that many of our youth rather vehemently disagree with you: lots of young people these days have decided to bring guns to school, and to fire them at their classmates and teachers. You know this; I know you do. You know this because you tune into the news, at least every now and then. And so you’ve seen the blood, the bodies, the swat teams, the emotionless shooters in handcuffs and under escort, and so on. Now. I also know something else about you: I know you think that it’s morally wrong for students to shoot other students. Well, let’s suppose that you’re absolutely, positively right: let’s suppose that it is morally reprehensible for one student to shoot another. A question still remains: namely, Why not shoot nonetheless? I submit to you that this is a question our culture no longer wants to ask, because it no longer has an answer. I want you to ponder the question in earnest; I know it’s painful, but try it. Here’s the question again, personalized, just to make sure you’ve got it: Imagine that your fellow students have been taunting you a lot, perhaps because you’re not exactly athletic, or not exactly prepossessing; you can pick your own reason for why you’re the target of teasing. So, you’re angry, intensely angry. And you hit upon the idea of getting hold of a shotgun, and of blowing away your tormenters. Let’s suppose that you know it’s morally wrong to pull the trigger, but so what? Why should you be bound by morality? Why should you restrain yourself ? This is a question I’m willing to bet no one has asked you to ponder previously — because it’s a scary question, a very scary question. Maybe you think you have an answer. There are, after all, some standard ones floating about. For example, here’s one: “You shouldn’t shoot because you’re going to eventually get caught, no matter what, and then your life will effectively be over..