Not Part of the Regular Field Trip

We have a lot of legislation pending that would expand gun use and gun carry, notably the offensively titled ‘Shoot First’ legislation that would make it more excusable for people to shoot other people first, and ask questions afterwards, instead of before shooting, and instead of avoiding shooting.

We have more open and concealed carry than we used to have; and we have more freedom to bring guns into public parks like this one where a shooting occurred.  I would argue to our readers that if we don’t want people shooting in public parks – like this one, where children are present – then we should not be allowing them to bring their firearms into the park, and we should not be making it even easier for them to elude being held accountable for shootings either – as the ‘shoot first’ legislation does.  If we don’t want people shooting other people in public, we should not allow guns in public except for legitimate need by people who need them in the course of their employment.

The major law enforcement organizations in Minnesota oppose the legislation.  If WE oppose our children discovering the bodies of men who have been shot, while the children on are on field trips, we should oppose the legislation that makes guns more prevalent as well.

We don’t want dead bodies for show and tell in school, or on school field trips.  Tripping over a stick or stone is one thing; cold random gun shot corpses is another matter entirely, whether homicide or suicide.

Lets go back to keeping firearms out of public places, and to discouraging gun violence, particularly too-ready gun violence in place of restraint and accountability.  Our kids belong in parks, playgrounds and other safe places; guns and dead bodies do not.

from KARE11.com

dead body on field trip in Eden Prairie
updated 1 hour 10 minutes ago 2012-02-24T16:51:00

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. – Eden Prairie police are investigating after a group of middle school students discovered a dead body while on a field trip to a local wildlife refuge Thursday morning.
Police spokesperson Katie Beal says the group of approximately 125 students and chaperones were exploring the Richard T. Anderson Conservation Area in Eden Prairie shortly after 10 a.m. when the body was found.
A smaller group of 30 students from Bloomington’s Oak Grove Middle School was walking down a trail when they came upon the deceased male, who police say was dead from a gunshot wound to his head.
An autopsy has yet to be performed, but the wound appears to be self inflicted. Eden Prairie police say they are not looking for suspects.
Bloomington Public Schools spokesman Rich Kaufman says the district has mobilized its crisis response team. Grief counselors are on hand to help kids who might be struggling with the incident.
Parents of those students were notified and a handful of kids were picked up from school.