Maybe No Policy is the Best Policy

The recent shooting at the Darby Medical Facility in Delaware County , PA highlights two things that the pro-gun rights advocates have been saying all along. Gun Free Zones do not work and the best way to stop a bad guy with a gun, is with a good guy with a gun.

It is just a simple fact that despite strict laws or a sign on a door, determined people will do bad things. It's been that way since the dawn of time and it will always be. Sadly it seems the anti-gun crowd will never stop blaming the tool that is used instead of the individual and will continue to push for stricter gun control.

The one quote from this latest incident in Pennsylvania I see circulating around just leaves me nearly completely baffled.

"It was not clear why Silverman, a doctor for nearly 25 years, was armed at the office. Bernice Ho, a spokeswoman for Mercy Fitzgerald, said Thursday it was against hospital policy for anyone other than security guards to carry weapons."

A man comes into the office and starts shooting people, and the spokeswoman wonders why the Doctor had a gun where only security guards should? The events of the day should make it very clear why the Doctor ignored the hospital's policy and choose to defend his own life instead of relying on the security guards to do it for him. The Doctor worked with people with mental issues. Seems very reasonable to me that he may want to carry a concealed weapon.

Once again, a sign like this didn't stop the bad guy.

This will be very interesting to see how this story progresses form here. The Doctor Silverman is a hero, no two ways around it. He stopped someone hellbent on hurting people. Unfortunately he could not save everybody, but he did stop it. He stopped it before the hospital's armed security guards or the police could.

That is the lesson that needs to be learned from this tragic event. When your life is in danger, you are the first person who can do something about it. Acting is far quicker than calling for help. But will that message be sent out by the mainstream media? Of course not.

What I am interested in seeing is how the hospital handles Doctor Silverman's violation of their no weapons policy. Are they going to punish him for saving his life and the lives of who knows how many others? Or are they going treat him like the hero he is and thank him?

Either way, it has the potential to become a Public Relations nightmare. By condemning  Doctor Silverman, even with a slap on the wrist will become great propaganda for the Pro-gun side. It will outrage people from all walks of life to see someone who the police said saved lives be punished for it. But if they treat him how he deserves, then they have to admit that their policy is not only useless, for preventing tragedy, but also hinders stopping one once it started.

While I feel a company or organization may have the right to have the policy on this subject they feel is best; I think the best policy any company or organization can have on the rights of citizens is no policy. They should neither condemn or approve of a person's individual right to defend themselves; as long as the person is doing it (if they choose to) in accordance with State Law. Maybe no policy is the best policy