Smart People

Smart Guns,  Evil Geniuses and Speaking Up-  

At some point in  the year 2000 I wrote a letter about smart gun technology to our representatives because it was being discussed in the news.  I did receive responses.   Following (my introduction) is the response I received from Frank Blee and Ken LeFevre dated June 15, 2000.  I wrote other letters about gun safety to my representatives. I stopped writing after I realized that long before I became interested, NJ was ahead of the curve on gun safety laws.  People just found ways around them.  Make one law and someone will break it.  Knives can do damage too.  

 

Smart technology. 

 

The people who break the laws and codes are usually very smart.  In fact, they could be called evil geniuses.  They seem to be able to circumvent the best defenses... well except maybe for the ones who failed because someone spoke up.

http://time.com/5121596/uniontown-high-school-shooting/

An excerpt from the article: 

A Pennsylvania teenager may have saved the lives of some of fellow students at a Uniontown high school after reporting a threat of a possible shooting.

A 14-year-old boy, of Henry Clay Township, Pa., was arrested and found to have a collection of weapons and a plan to target four students at Uniontown Area High School, according to CBS affiliate KDKA. One Uniontown student said they heard the 14-year-old make a threat to carry out a school shooting.

“He indicated it would be extremely easy to sneak a gun into the school in his backpack. He also indicated that he could use a sniper rifle from a distance or a shotgun for mass casualties,” Fayette County District Attorney Richard Bower told KDKA. “He didn’t like them, he just didn’t like them.”

Now for the letter from my representatives.  With so many rants, chants and memes about our representatives not doing their jobs, I have to disagree- of course with respect.  If you post about the lack of concern from our representatives, then you have never contacted one.  In some instances, I even received letters which were personally signed with the first name only.  When you write often on the same topic of  safety, the elected representatives do get to know your name.  I met some in person.  I never felt that they ever tried to  belittle my efforts except for the civics teacher in my former district, but he had something to hide about the school.  When people run for public office, hold them accountable by telling your story as it relates to your needs and the needs of others. Even when I write to the ones with whom I disagree on the topic of abortion, I received responses.  

“Thank you for your recent correspondence in support of “smart gun” technology.  As your Assemblymen, and as parents, we appreciate and share your concern for the protection and well-being of our children. 

You may be pleased to know that in the General Assembly we recently voted for an important piece of legislation that we believe will lead to increased gun safety.  The bill, A-2531, would appropriate $500,000 to the New Jersey Institute of Technology for the continuation of their “Smart Gun Technology Development Program”.  This legislation is sponsored by Assemblyman LeFevre and fully supported by Assemblyman Blee.  The measure, which enjoyed broad bipartisan support was approved by the General Assembly on June 5, 2000 by a vote of 77-0.

Our support for the development of “smart gun” technology is a continuation of our commitment to this issue from the 1998-99 legislative session.  In that session, we supported a four-bill package that we are proud to say is now law:

A 2420 -now Public Law 1999, chapter 253

“The Firearm Accident Prevention Act”- which exempts the sale of firearm trigger locks from sales and use tax.

A2421- now Public law 1999, chapter 254

“The secure Firearm Storage Act”: which exempts the sale of firearm vaults from the sales and use tax.

A 2469- now Public Law 1999, chapter 255

Establishes a $5 instant rebate program for purchased of trigger gun locks.

A2826- now Public Law 1999, chapter 233

Prohibits licensed dealers from transferring handgun purchasers unless accompanied by a trigger lock, lock case, gun box, container or other secure facility.

Again, thank you for your correspondence. Please feel free to contact our office with any further questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

(The letter was signed by both Francis Blee and Kenneth C. LeFevre)

You can search the state statute website and find the law listed:  for example:

54:32B-8.50.  Short title; receipts from sales of firearm trigger locks, tax exempt

   1.  a.  This act shall be known and may be cited as "The Firearm Accident Prevention Act" .

   b.   Receipts from sales of firearm trigger locks and other devices that enable the firearm to be made inoperable by anyone other than an authorized person are exempt from the tax imposed under the "Sales and Use Tax Act" , P.L.1966, c.30 (C.54:32B-1 et seq.).

   L.1999,c.253.

NJ readers may be interested in this statute also:

2C:58-2.2  
Findings, declarations relative to sale of handguns.

The more you read on the topic, the more one will realize there is a pattern to prevention because there is a pattern to the violence.  No new law will prevent the next planner of violence, but a person can.

Be smart.  Learn the warning signs and the "triggers".  Think outside the box.  Unlock the gift of intuition you have been given as a gift.  

Marian R. Carlino

June 7, 2018

Franklin Regional High School

Franklin Regional High School-  April 9, 2014

I was working in a temporary position at my place of employment when I heard the reports coming out about Franklin Regional High School.  The information was from the full- time employees.  One of them was on the phone.  She had a child in the district.  Franklin Regional High School is in a wealthy community a few miles east of Pittsburgh city limits.  So, this breaking news was close to my home here in Pittsburgh. 

A sophomore at the high school went on a stabbing attack.  Alex Hribal, his name has been in print since the beginning, even though he was only 16 at the time.  He slashed and stabbed his way through his school.  Some of the injuries he inflicted on others were life threatening.   The stabbings happened over four years ago now, but the reports are still active because the family secured a lawyer who kept getting trials delayed.

As I have made myself clear about many times, the mental health issues are mitigating circumstances and not excuses.  I think at some point; all violence is due to mental health issues.  No one is truly in their right mind if they maim with intent to kill or actually kill someone.  States of rage, crimes of passion, drug induced killing, the devil made me do it---are all mitigating circumstances.  Someone else is still dead or injured.

Does it mean something when one is featured on Wikipedia? Hribal’s story is.  There are many news reports that tell the initial information.  Little Murrysville became the subject of national headlines because of one, angry, student.  

Google the reports.  This link is one example.

.https://abcnews.go.com/US/teen-school-stabbing-suspect-kitchen-knives-cops/story?id=23253018.


The lawyer talks on ABC national news and says no history of issues
Later reports, say Hribal attempted suicide at the age of 10; history of depression?

The governor calls the people in the school heroes: 
"Following the shooting Wednesday afternoon, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett drove to Export from Harrisburg for a press conference.

“Let me commend the efforts of not only the school but the law enforcement officers, the first responders, police departments and the FBI. There are a number of heroes. Many are students – students who stayed with their friends and didn’t leave their friends. Cafeteria workers that cared for students who were bleeding. Teachers and aides who pulled students out of hallways and into rooms, protecting those children. Obviously, the school resource officer, the sergeant injured, and the principal and assistant principal,” said Corbett"

Notice that the  article used the word,shooting when it was stabbings--"

In May, 2018 one of the victims filed suit against the family and school.  http://triblive.com/local/westmoreland/13652594-74/franklin-regional-stabbing-victim-sues-attacker-alex-hribal-his-parents-school-and.   

According to this report, it is the only lawsuit filed at this time. 

The news on January 22, 2018 was about Hribal, who was sentenced after years of delays due to his attorneys. 

https://www.wpxi.com/news/top-stories/alex-hribal-sentenced-in-franklin-regional-stabbing/687518070

"Hribal was 16 years old when police said he used two kitchen knives to carry out the attack through the school’s halls. In a manifesto found by investigators, Hribal idolized the Columbine shooters."

I copied a link to my FB page about the issue back in January 2018, and made this comment:

“Finally sentenced. This happened in 2014. They tried to blame it on his mental health. He followed the Columbine effect. I worked with people who got the phone call that day in 2014. I must admit I am glad he is going to jail. This kid had a lawyer. So many do not. Jail is deserved. This is one example of why I will never forget my experience in 1998. It may be. 20 years but attacks happen at schools constantly. One of this kid’s victims needed a liver. Not sorry after all these years for speaking up. Someone should have for this kid before he slashed and stabbed his way through a school hallway.”

I surprisingly received a response through Messenger from a local television host.  He asked:

JAN 22ND, 5:06PM

Hi Marian

My name is Beau Berman

I'm a reporter with WTAE TV

I saw your post about Hribal.

What was your experience 20 years ago?

So, I answered him, briefly, about a week later. ( I don't use Messenger often and I had no idea who he was with the name.)  He hasn’t responded back to me.  I did a bio search of the reporter.   “Berman was one of the first reporters at Sandy Hook Elementary School after the tragedy and also reported from the shoreline as Hurricane Sandy pummeled Connecticut in 2012.” 

http://www.wtae.com/news-team/7799c1fc-1431-46cf-b70a-9aadaaa85e0b.

I hope Beman is reading some of my reports.  My son called me on the day of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre and asked me if I was sitting down as he told me the news. I lived in my apartment on Shore Road  in SP, NJ and can still remember where I was standing.  I lived in New Jersey as Hurricane Sandy pummeled New Jersey and left two fellow church members homeless (Pleasantville, NJ).

You know that six degrees of separation thing—it is true. 

Hribal's parents reached out to the media after the sentencing to become voices of prevention at about the same time the  media reported that the lawyers were planning an appeal.  So they should start with home, please and thank you.  The parents prevented nothing and can only speak as people suffering consequences of their ignorance and their son's vengeful actions.

Some of their story is now on video.  This one I picked randomly today.  Listen to it.   I do not have a lot of sympathy for these parents at this time.  They are blaming bullying, etc.  Since when is retribution okay?  The parent’s of the “knifer” asked the media to let them speak.  The segments can be found on the web extra pages of the local CBS affiliate.

.http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/video/3805282-web-extra-hribals-parents-discuss-why-theyre-speaking-out/.

The father talks about what a teacher did after Columbine for her class.  Did they not think that there troubled child could be a copycat kid?  Harsh?   Well,  murder and stabbings are harsh.  The truth will help them heal once they come to grips with it.

As many know, one of my friends is a parent of a man who killed three people and is on death row in Pennsylvania where there is no moratorium.    I have empathy for her.  I know her son was an adult when it happened.  I know the struggles she continues to live because of her son’s actions.  It is a cross she bears- different from the victim's families.  It is a cross the parents of Alex Hribal will bear. Their cross is also different than the victim's families.  Neither sets of parents is a voice for prevention.  My friend would readily tell you that.

The Hribal’s, if really concerned about prevention of the next violent attack, would not have been fighting the charges for as long as they did.  They should have had their lawyers have their client take responsibility for his actions from the start.  Instead, they tried to make the real victims the reasons for the “knifing spree”.  Nothing Alex Hribal did was in self- defense.

Due process is guaranteed under our Constitution, lying and making excuses is not.

The sentenced to jail, Alex Hribal, is wearing a necklace Cross in the pictured news story.  Let's hope he relies on the justice of God and the mercy shown when true repentance is in the heart.

For now, the jury is still out for me.  After all these years, what have we learned if we don't realize that repentance and forgiveness work together.  Without true repentance, not just remorse, there is no heavenly forgiveness. 

The Murrysville community was very good to the family.  But a community's reputation is now tainted by a national news story on school violence- 22 stabbed with a knives.

   

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2018/02/05/alex-hribal-parents-franklin-regional-stabbing/. 

“He was a sweet, quiet child. I didn’t know he was suffering inside,” explained an emotional Tina Hribal, who at times dabbed her eyes with a tissue during the interview. She says she and her husband had no idea how troubled their son was until doctors interviewed him after the attack."

Hribal could be out of jail by the time he is 40 per the answers to questions in the interviews.  They talk about him getting a place to live and a driver's license when he gets out.

The hero resource officer, a police officer, retired.

Marian R. Carlino

June 7, 2018

Today on Today

Today’s news- on Today—and some from Yesterday that could be in the news Tomorrow

The parents in Parkland, Florida are angry now that they have heard the resource officer’s story.  The bottom line, they want answers.  They are not satisfied with his explanations, but as the widow of one of the dead teachers said, he did give some information that she seemed (from her comment) not to know.  Why hasn't she been informed of all the information?  Maybe she doesn't want to know.

If you worked in a school district and something happened what would you do?

The administrative directions are very clear- don’t talk to the media. Do you hear many teachers speaking out after a killing at a school?  Initially they may, such as the teacher who told the media about the email they were sent regarding Cruz and a book bag.  But, often teacher’s do not speak up, individually or collectively, unless they are addressing contract issues- not safety.   

The administration of the schools want to “white wash” after trouble.  The problem with that, the paint wears away and the dirty little secrets or at least the truth will come through.  God will not allow it any other way.

The massacres are trending in white, middle to upper middle-class areas but assaults on other students and staff occurs in all types of districts.  I worked in a white, middle class community in 1998.  The janitor came to visit me one day after I left.  He wondered, if that community had no issues as stated in the paper by the then, soon to be disgraced superintendent, “whose blood did I mop up in the bathroom today”.

I worked in programs for at- risk youth in 1985-87 and then from 2005-2007.  I worked with students (and adults) from Atlantic, Cape May and Ocean Counties in New Jersey.  The at- risk youth came from all backgrounds, white and black, girls and boys, and all types of communities, including gang members.  Factors that made them at-risk and eligible for a federal program-  income at their present state of need; former drug use, juvenile record and teen parenthood were the main reasons.  Not all were reformed.   All were still struggling with their previous choices.   Some were still at the entrance of the tunnel of darkness from their choices.  None of the teen parents, though, ever regretted having their babies.  The babies were motivation to do better.  

Some were successful, some were not. 

In the program in 1985-87, I worked with a few gang members.  One of the students made more money working for a “car business” than any one I knew at the time.   His record was because it was a “chop shop”.  If he was 18 when he worked with me, how old was he when he started in the car business?  In the program in 2005-2007, one the participants had been in and out of jail many times.  He told me his mom let him be on his own at 12.  At his still young age, he told me, “she made a mistake and is trying to make up for it now. It is too late. (he said)”

Right here in Pittsburgh, a teacher was injured after angry parents followed her from the school (in cars) and assaulted her at a stop light.  She did speak out but since there are lawsuits pending, there may not be many more opportunities to hear her side of the story. This assault happened during October 2017.  

The parents have issued claims that the teacher assaulted the student when taking a cell phone.  In the words of my former principal, children lie as well as adults.  Were there any student by-standers- called witnesses?  In my former school, the principal would have a problem with them speaking up.  But in child or adult assault prevention, you want the witnesses to speak up.  The roles are put on the table for a purpose.  If you are in a role as a witness, what would you do?   Take the roll for the role. 

This link includes an interview with the teacher who was assaulted by the parents of a child.  I wonder how the administration in Pittsburgh feels about this interview- and the commentary by the reporter at the end.  The implication is that there are many assaults on teachers and students.

 Pittsburgh teacher speaks out- after the assault

None of us are naive enough to think that problems do not happen.  We know they do.  The problem is with not believing there is something one can do about it… before, during and after an event.   I can’t believe it happened here is a “white wash” lie… it can happen anywhere.  So if anyone tries to go there with me, I will challenge the statement.

The resource officer at Parkland, Florida seemed to freeze in his role as the protector- the only one with a gun.  He had many years of experience as a police officer.   Why did he freeze?  Was he running through his head the mixed messages of engage and not engage?    A monitor for safety on the school grounds, from news reports, is now barred from the school grounds.  Why?  Are they barring the superintendent or the principal? 

You have a gun as a resource officer in school with an active shooter- what would you do? 

But before a school gets to a Swat team situation (which we know often fails to protect), everyone in the school has been informed this former student is a problem with no charges filed- just transferred, it appears.  People reported him to the police.  You as a teacher, a neighbor, a parent, another parent has a piece of the puzzle?   You know he is a danger to self and others.  What would you do?

Today the parents in the Parkland, Florida community are angry?  Would you be?

What would you do with that righteous anger? 

Do you think my experience working with at-risk youth added to my education on behaviors or care for a child’s future? I was told to show the children I had hope for the troubled child.  I did have hope.  But the administration only wanted to “white wash”.    It was too late for this troubled child’s brother a few years later.  He died of a drug overdose.  My former student found him on the couch.   Guess who told me that?  The aid from my class who never wanted to report his behaviors in the cafeteria.  We attended morning Mass together at the local chapel.   Was she telling me the truth?

What if we had worked to help the troubled child in my class?  Would the insight I had about the family in need have saved the older brother’s life?   Some day we will know.  God sees the bigger picture and we are held accountable for what we have done and what we have failed to do.

Marian R. Carlino

June 7, 2018