Something to Consider (Revisited)

Sometimes, a question leads to an improved re-framing of an idea…

Problem:
School shootings – educational facilities in the U.S. have been targeted as “soft targets” of convenience for violent individuals with various evil motives.

Present corrective actions (limited):

Southwestern High School in Shelby County, Indiana, to my knowledge, is the only school equipped by NetTalon’s VIRTUAL COMMAND system. With alarms, passive detectors and monitoring devices, as well as active measures such as obscurants and physical barriers, these components compromise a system which increases the survivability of the students attending this one school.

Present corrective actions (limits):

Financially, NetTalon’s modifications pose a significant problem for most schools. Ranging from $400,000 to $600,000, the VIRTUAL COMMAND system stands as a daunting investment – especially considering the recent teacher strikes and other material shortages which plague many school systems.

Observation #1 (NRA)

The NRA may be more than capable of raising funds specifically earmarked to assist more schools in following Southwestern High School’s community-driven lead. From their 2015 annual report:

NRA Foundation, Inc. experienced continued growth and success in 2015, with net proceeds from Friends of NRA events of $30.2 million. As a result, the Foundation awarded a record $33.5 million in grants for programs such as youth; range development and improvement; training, education and safety; and wildlife and natural resources.

Observation #2 (media)

The national media organizations are more than capable of raising money for worthwhile causes. During the 2015 Republican debate, CNN charged $200,000 for one 30-second advertising slot. This stands of only a small portion of CNN’s parent organizations’ overall potential: the 2015 “investments and acquisitions” for Time Warner Inc. equaled $713 million and the total revenues of that year showed an increase of 3% to $28.1 billion. FOX also stands as a financially noteworthy entity with almost $30 billion in 2015 revenues.

Proposed solution:

A combined fundraising effort to increase the number of schools equipped like Southwestern High School.

Historically, the NRA and major media outlets have maintained a relationship often approaching antagonistic. With one side initiating a public commitment (and therefore, challenge) to meet their opponents’ contribution, dollar for dollar, towards the singular goal of making as many schools in the template provided by Southwestern. Not limited to these two or three initial contributors, the potential for national momentum and interest may generate a growing number of committed donors working beyond political affiliation, class, and region.

The beauty of this idea lies in the simplicity: there are no losers when actions speak louder than words.