Recent news is filled with ideas and controversy about legislation to reduce the loss of student life from mass shootings.
Premeditated murder is an extreme form of abuse of power.
Powerful lobbies backed by big bucks from the National Rifle Association control state legislators over gun control.
This is another abuse of power.
What is abuse of power?
In my profession (psychiatry), abuse is defined as one or more individuals using power to gratify themselves at the expense of others without considering how their actions are impacting those who are being abused.
From this perspective the shooters, lobbies, legislators and NRA all are seen as they really are, i.e. perpetrators.
And the students?
They are seen as dead or dealing with the trauma of mass murder, grief and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The shooter is gratified by feeding his hatred, the lobbies are gratified by controlling the legislative process, the legislators are gratified by financial support from the lobbies and the NRA is gratified by the whole process.
What to do?
The students should take a lesson from their teachers.
When teachers are dissatisfied with their working conditions or pay, they walk out of the classroom.
They stop working.
Students should stop attending.
But not for only a few hours.
They should stop attending until state legislation adequately addresses gun control.
Teachers should support their students by walking out with them.
Students can take the power back with the aid of their teachers.
Students should have a voice in the process.
Terry Trudel,
Port Angeles