STATESIDE Stateside
Sharon Harris looks at that thorniest of subjects – gun ownership and mass shootings in the United States.
Sadly, not all have gone well and some have devolved into violence. But, the majority have not and these events alert lawmakers to the mood of many voters. Legislators ignore the will of the people at their own re-election peril. More critical issues, or “movements,” now come complete with a social media hash tag and catchy slogan. The issue of gun violence obviously has real life consequences everywhere. Casinos are struggling to resolve so many questions where solutions often seem simplistic. Who doesn’t want fewer shootings/deaths? It’s a no-brainer, but fails to factor in specific variables. Nothing is simple in a nation where gun rights date back to more than 200 years. The public’s outcry to do something reached critical mass in South Florida on Valentine’s Day two months ago. An expelled student returned to his high school, easily entered the building and began shooting. He murdered 17 and wounded many others. Unlike many other school massacres, he was captured instead of being killed or killing himself. School shootings are a blight on American children and
A
teachers. A year-long Washington Post report claims more than 187,000 students at 193 primary or secondary American schools have experienced a gun incident since the April 1999 Columbine High School shootings in Colorado. Last October 1, the gaming industry in Las Vegas learned this could happen to them too. A nondescript, but big- spending gambler turned gunman opened fire on concert goers from his 32nd-floor room at Mandalay Bay. He killed 58 and wounded more than 800 before he himself died. It was the worst mass shooting in American history. Six months later, the MGM management, owners of the Mandalay, has still provided no real motive and little information, despite surveillance cameras recording hours of video that showed his every move. MGM faces hundreds of lawsuits from survivors who question possible unprecedented exceptions this guy had to
8 APRIL 2018
mericans have always marched for causes. Peaceful assembly is among the first freedoms in the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights. Over two centuries, millions have walked the streets to address the crucial topics of the day.
standard security procedures. They also question why no one reacted to the almost daily “luggage” the killer brought into the hotel on carts. Dozens of weapons actually filled those bags. In late March, after almost six months, MGM released only
a few minutes of video to the New York Times. They also issued a statement, claiming the killer “…gave no indication of what he planned to do and his interactions with staff and overall behavior were all normal. MGM and Mandalay Bay could not reasonably foresee that a long-time guest with no known history of threats or violence and behaving in a manner that appeared outwardly normal, would carry out such an inexplicably evil, violent and deadly act. Our focus continues to be on supporting victims and their
families, our guests and employees, and cooperating with law enforcement with their ongoing investigation.” MGM’s public relations image seems a tad tarnished at this time and the company faces a long, expensive battle to determine any culpability. Following the Florida shootings, millions have had enough and marched in Washington and nationwide last month. The #MarchForOurLives movement aims to fight gun violence while advocating stricter gun control. What does that mean? Where are the battle lines drawn? Law-abiding gun owners, including millions who frequent
casinos, stress their Constitutional rights while some anti-gun groups want to completely abolish the gun industry. I’m not a gun owner and see no reason for civilians to own anything resembling a machine gun in their homes. But, could a compromise allow them to be stored and used exclusively in licensed facilities? Small handguns are a different story. Good reasons can
exist to own them for protection. Cash or other sensitive types of businesses may want that extra security. My family’s business spent 40 years in two locations where the neighborhoods deteriorated over time. Everyone knew there was cash on site from the vending/amusement machines, but also knew the building had bullet-proof glass. I’m sure one other major deterrent was the general knowledge that licensed, trained personnel kept small guns
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70
