Monday night on his show, [Stephen] Colbert aired a clip of Bellevue Republican Rep. Frank Lasee saying that Wisconsin should arm teachers in schools. Colbert concurred and took it a step further, arguing that teachers could also deal quality illegal drugs to students from their desks to make sure dealers don't sell on playgrounds. All with a straight face. Best of all, Colbert helped out Lasee by coming up with a winning name for his armed teacher plan: Chalk and Awe.
Ha ha. Armed adults protecting their young charges is a joke. Ha ha.
Or how about this:
The concept is almost as dumb as one coming from a Wisconsin state legislator over the weekend who suggested -- in the wake of the Amish school tragedy, no less -- that public school teachers and administrators be armed.
Belittle the idea. Tell people it's "dumb."
Stephen Colbert--now there's a guy who looks like he'd know what to do when the shooting starts. And I'll bet the anonymous York Dispatch editorialist would be equally competent. They offer nothing other than sanctimonious prejudice and smug, emotion-based opinion. They disregard the established fact that everywhere it's been tried, it's worked.
Thing is, with most Americans, the strategy of opinion shaping via emotionally-charged sound bites is effective. And elections are won by majorities.