How about giving teachers guns? At least that is what the NRA suggested in the wake of the mass murder in Minnesota. This is one of those stories that boggles my mind. How can an organization such as the NRA be so blind to the roots of the problem? This is just like when they showed up to Little Rock right after the Columbine massacre. It is tasteless and short sighted.

What do I think the root of the problem is? Well, I don't claim to have any supernatural insights or academic studies to back me, but I believe that the reason behind this is simple hate. More than that, a culture of hate. As was revealed to me on kottke, the killer was part of a neo-nazi online discussion board - you can even read his posting here.

More than that, he also posted flash animations of a gunman killing four people and a policeman before turning on himself, committing suicide. The problem here is not that teachers couldn't shoot back. A culture of violence and retaliation in itself is the problem. Inequality is part of the problem - the shooter was a Native American. Also, by looking at the animation, I think it becomes clear that media portrayals of violence are also part of the equation.

There. It felt good to get that off of my mind. I think that Jack Johnson's simple song about the blame for media violence - "if we want hell then hells what well have".

"Cookie Jar"

I would turn on the TV but it's so embarrasing
To see all the other people I don't know that they mean
It was magic at first when they spoke without sound
And now this world is gonna hurt you better turn that thing down
Turn it around

"It wasn't me", says the boy with the gun
"Sure I pulled the trigger but it needed to be done
Cause life's been killing me ever since it begun
You cant blame me cause I'm too young"

"You can't blame me sure the killer was my son
But I didn't teach him to pull the trigger of the gun
It's the killer on this TV screen
You cant blame me its those images he seen"

Well "You can't blame me", says the media man
Well "I wasn't the one who came up with the plan
I just point my camera at what the people want to see
Man it's a two way mirror and you cant blame me"

"You can't blame me", says the singer of the song
Or the maker of the movie which he based his life on
"It's only entertainment and as anyone can see
The smoke machines and makeup
Hey you cant fool me"

It was you it was me it was every man
We've all got the blood on our hands
We only receive what we demand
And if we want hell then hells what well have

And I would turn on the TV
But its so embarrasing
To see all the other people
I don't even know that they mean
And it was magic at first
But it let everyone down
And now this world is gonna hurt
You better turn it around
Turn it around