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I saw a video on Facebook from a page called INSIDER that shows children being issued bullet proof blankets to help “protect them from gunmen”. My first reaction was what in the world are they (the people issuing the blankets) thinking? Maybe it’s my view from the outside as a 35+ year cop, and Law Enforcement Firearms instructor that has me looking at this a little differently than most but really? Bullet proof blankets? Then I read some of the comments and my blood pressure must have gone up by at least 30 points!! “Ban all guns!” (why not that has worked for drugs so well), and other such nonsense.
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The video shows small elementary school children being issued these bright red blankets that are designed to stop bullets. While I commend the idea of trying to help protect our children, if you sit back and really look at what these things are going to do in real life, in a real shooting, then maybe you would think twice about issuing them and look at other ways to protect our children (yes I am a father).
A bright red blanket. Hmm maybe it is bright to draw the attention of who? The shooter? And they wear them on straps over their shoulders, exposing their heads. And I am guessing that the maker of the blanket and the people that thought it was a good idea have never been shot wearing a ballistic vest. It HURTS! And will still cause damage. To a little kid, it could easily kill them even though the bullet may not penetrate. Not only that but these blankets only stop pistol rounds, not rifle rounds. Rifle rounds go right through most ballistic vests that police and others wear. Only heavy military grade body armor with ceramic plates can stop rifle rounds.
Even with that in mind, what are we doing to the children’s psyche by telling them that you need this blanket to protect you from a bad guy and if you use this it will help keep you safe? First the chances currently of your child being in a mass school shooting is still extremely slim (contrary to what the media has told you), and now we are going to teach our children to lay down and hide under a blanket? What a terrible idea to put in their heads! Lay down, hide and wait. NO!!! We should be teaching our children to run, get away and if all else fails and they cannot get away, fight back! Not cower under a blanket and hope that the gunmen is not using a rifle, and maybe survive the shots to the blankets, and he does not shoot me in the head. We are teaching our kids to be victims by issuing these blankets! Are there better solutions? Sure there are. Simple ones that have been shown to work in other places.
Take Israel as an example. They had a terrorist attack on a school in 1974 called “the Ma’a lot Massacre” where 22 children were killed and 68 wounded. What did they do? They armed all of the teachers in the schools. Then they asked for armed volunteers (parents and vets) and many did. Israel realized you stop attacks by hardening the target. Make it not worth the risk to the murderer. Ask the U.S. Military how they protect their bases and personnel, they harden the target (gate check, armed guards and such) how do banks, pawn shops, gun shops and more prevent or lessen the chances of an a robbery or attack? They all carry firearms in those places.
Stop teaching our children to be victims and let our teachers and parents who want to protect our children by being armed do so. Why do you think murderers pick gun free zones to attack in the first place? Because no one is expected to fight back. Well when the target shoots back, the bad guys think twice about even attacking them. Stop teaching our children to be victims!
Chris is a U.S. Army Veteran and has been in law enforcement the last 35+ years. He specializes in LE Firearms Instruction, and is in charge of a large Police Academy in North Florida. In his spare time Chris is a free-lance Military Reporter and owner/founder of the Largest Military Videos Channel on YouTube “3rdID8487”.
