In Wake of
Newtown, Swedes Must Reconsider School Openness (SvenskaDagbladet, Sweden)
"It is past
time to for America to tighten gun controls, as research shows that more
weapons lead to more murders. ... Of course, Swedes do not decide on American
legislation, and neither do the Swedish people elect U.S. presidents. Yet there
are reasons for Swedes to turn the spotlight on our home turf. ... In Sweden,
an open and accessible society are highly valued, and that includes our
schools. Should we reconsider this assessment? ... The answer may be a painful
one."
In Sweden, people look at the attitude toward guns in America
with both wonder and dismay. But the question arises, is Sweden is doing enough
to manage the threat of a massacre at a school here.
For most Swedes, the regulations governing weapons in U.S.
are hard to grasp. There is something debilitating at the core of American
values. How the world's greatest democracy can reject something as natural as
nudity while at the same time so firmly maintaining the right of citizens right
to carry deadly weapons is a mystery. And that riddle is rendered no less
mysterious by the deadly deed committed last Friday.
Yesterday [Dec. 16], President Barack Obama travelled to
a memorial ceremony in Newtown, Connecticut, where a 20-year old man entered
Sandy Hook Elementary School and with his mother's gun, shot 26 people to death,
20 of whom were children aged 6-7.
Ginna Lindberg, Washington correspondent
for Swedish public radio, reported this morning that the American pro-gun lobby
is on the defensive. This many not be the time for a discussion of gun
regulations, and it would distasteful to use the tragedy for political
purposes. But then, Lindberg asked, when is it an appropriate time to have such
a debate when on average, 86 Americans die from gun violence every day - that
is 2600 people every month?
Not everyone is so sure the timing is off.
Gallup polls show that the two sides are fairly evenly
split, and in The Washington Post on
Sunday, proponents of stricter gun regulations referred to three circumstances
that could constitute a turning point.
First, the fact that so many children are involved this
time has triggered powerful emotions.
Second, since Obama has been re-elected and need no longer
placate critical voters, the White House may decide to take on the fight. Even
if Obama's first comment was to urge the people of the United States to
"act sensibly together to avoid tragedies as these," he has expressed
support for stricter gun control before - for example, to require stronger
background checks for buyers.
Third, the NRA, i.e.: the National Rifle Association, has
been weakened after spending millions on Republican politicians that lost the
recent elections.
After all of the mass murders at American schools - the
world remembers not the least Columbine in 1999 and Virginia Tech in 2007 - it
is past time to tighten gun controls, as research shows that more weapons lead
to more murders.
Of course, Swedes do not decide on American legislation,
and neither do the Swedish people elect U.S. presidents. Yet there are reasons
for Swedes to turn the spotlight on our home turf.
Finland has witnessed two terrible school shootings, in 2007
and 2008. Norway has experienced Anders Behring Breivik. No one can seriously argue that a school
massacre will never happen in Sweden, where Malmoe shooter Peter Mangs so cunningly planned and equipped himself for his
crimes. In Sweden, there are also alienated, socially inept young men.
The openness of Swedish schools has also been debated, particularly
after the 2001 incident at Bromma High School, where a
student was shot to death [the first and only school shooting in Swedish history].
Municipalities and schools have considered locking doors, visitor registration,
video surveillance and metal detectors.
But indications are that Education Minister Jan Björklund is right. It is difficult to stop an armed madmen
with security measures. Stricter gun control and vigilance when it comes to misguided
young people can often be more effective, and certainly in these areas, schools
and police can do more.
Posted by Worldmeets.US
In Sweden, an open and accessible society are highly
valued, and that includes our schools. Should we reconsider this assessment?
The answer may be a painful one: Yes, one day, a school
massacre could happen in Sweden.
