Posted on Jun 9, 2022
Vetspective: Uvalde exemplifies our adult-centric society – We must change it
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I did an extreme act of courage this morning.
I put my 9 and 11 year old kids on the bus to go to school.
When this simple activity is situated within the context of the recent and horrific violence in Uvalde, Texas that resulted in the deaths of at least 21 people, including 19 children in the 4th grade, one can clearly see why sending kids to school has become an act of courage.
Indeed, given the consistent violence at schools across the United States, we can see that parents have been continuously engaged in extreme acts of courage – today, tomorrow, next week, and beyond.
But is it about us – the adults?
The courage I speak of is actually carried out by our kids.
Why?
Because they live in an adult-centric society.
At first blush, this would appear to be obvious. Adults work; they pay the bills; they run organizations that make our society go. Why should it not be an adult-centric society? This is the mentality that permeates every aspect of our society, culture, and the way it is organized.
COVID: Adults get their vaccines first.
Education: Adults get back to work first.
School shootings: Adults get their rights and security first.
And the list goes on…
The policies, practices, procedures, and norms of our society favor adults over children. What this does is transfer the risk from the adults to our children – from COVID, to education, to security.
In fact, I am guilty of living “adult-centric.” I transferred risk to my children as I put them on the bus in the wake of Uvalde mass-casualty event. I walked them to the bus stop, watched them get on the bus, smiled and waved as the bus went off without knowing the risk to their security or risk mitigation measures underway at their school – in essence suggesting: “I hope it goes well at your ‘adult-centric’ school because I have to get on with my ‘adult-centric day.’”
I fear our children will continue to bear the brunt of an adult-centric society because they are not part of the political or policymaking process. Without children moving from the periphery to the focal point of our political system by adults, their voice will continue to go unheard and their needs will remain unmet by society.
So, what would a kid-centric, “next gen” society look like?
It would start with the basic premise that the best way to secure our “adult future” is to do so through our children. By focusing on the stability, education, welfare, and opportunities for our children, adults will rapidly recognize the value back to them.
Our country and society would be more prosperous and more harmonious because we will be more focused on the future rather than the moment or even the past.
Our moral compass would be renewed because we will be focused on those who are among the most vulnerable rather than among the least.
And our future would be more secure because we will be supporting those with the longer productive future rather than the shorter.
Above all, a “next gen” centric society that puts our youth first in politics, policy, economics, and beyond will make our society more just. Indeed, I believe a focus on kids would actually translate into a focus on the most vulnerable across all of society.
This is the type of country I want to be part of.
And I know it’s the kind of country the children of Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas would have wanted to be part of.
Sadly, they were not.
Alex Gallo is the author of “Vetspective,” a RallyPoint series that discusses national security, foreign policy, politics, and society. Alex also is a visiting fellow with George Mason University’s National Security Institute, an adjunct professor in the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University, and a US Army Veteran. Follow him on Twitter at @AlexGalloCMP.
I put my 9 and 11 year old kids on the bus to go to school.
When this simple activity is situated within the context of the recent and horrific violence in Uvalde, Texas that resulted in the deaths of at least 21 people, including 19 children in the 4th grade, one can clearly see why sending kids to school has become an act of courage.
Indeed, given the consistent violence at schools across the United States, we can see that parents have been continuously engaged in extreme acts of courage – today, tomorrow, next week, and beyond.
But is it about us – the adults?
The courage I speak of is actually carried out by our kids.
Why?
Because they live in an adult-centric society.
At first blush, this would appear to be obvious. Adults work; they pay the bills; they run organizations that make our society go. Why should it not be an adult-centric society? This is the mentality that permeates every aspect of our society, culture, and the way it is organized.
COVID: Adults get their vaccines first.
Education: Adults get back to work first.
School shootings: Adults get their rights and security first.
And the list goes on…
The policies, practices, procedures, and norms of our society favor adults over children. What this does is transfer the risk from the adults to our children – from COVID, to education, to security.
In fact, I am guilty of living “adult-centric.” I transferred risk to my children as I put them on the bus in the wake of Uvalde mass-casualty event. I walked them to the bus stop, watched them get on the bus, smiled and waved as the bus went off without knowing the risk to their security or risk mitigation measures underway at their school – in essence suggesting: “I hope it goes well at your ‘adult-centric’ school because I have to get on with my ‘adult-centric day.’”
I fear our children will continue to bear the brunt of an adult-centric society because they are not part of the political or policymaking process. Without children moving from the periphery to the focal point of our political system by adults, their voice will continue to go unheard and their needs will remain unmet by society.
So, what would a kid-centric, “next gen” society look like?
It would start with the basic premise that the best way to secure our “adult future” is to do so through our children. By focusing on the stability, education, welfare, and opportunities for our children, adults will rapidly recognize the value back to them.
Our country and society would be more prosperous and more harmonious because we will be more focused on the future rather than the moment or even the past.
Our moral compass would be renewed because we will be focused on those who are among the most vulnerable rather than among the least.
And our future would be more secure because we will be supporting those with the longer productive future rather than the shorter.
Above all, a “next gen” centric society that puts our youth first in politics, policy, economics, and beyond will make our society more just. Indeed, I believe a focus on kids would actually translate into a focus on the most vulnerable across all of society.
This is the type of country I want to be part of.
And I know it’s the kind of country the children of Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas would have wanted to be part of.
Sadly, they were not.
Alex Gallo is the author of “Vetspective,” a RallyPoint series that discusses national security, foreign policy, politics, and society. Alex also is a visiting fellow with George Mason University’s National Security Institute, an adjunct professor in the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University, and a US Army Veteran. Follow him on Twitter at @AlexGalloCMP.
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 15
CPT Alex Gallo Putting a child on a bus is not an extreme act of courage. There have been something like 150 kids killed in school shootings... Since the turn of the century.
150 kids in 20+ years. Out of millions upon MILLIONS each and every year. The odds of a kid being killed at school in any given year is something like 1 in a million.
If facing down a 1 in a million chance is an "extreme act of courage," then I hate to think of you as a former Officer. I shudder to think what risk management looked like when you were planning training. Or, Gods forbid, ACTUAL real world operations.
Also, if you placed your kids on that bus with no clue what their school looked like, you are just plain negligent. Don't blame society for your negligence.
Yes, we live in an adult-centric society. Because adults make the decisions. Why? Because kids, in general, are neither smart enough nor rational enough to make them. We discuss having "adults in the room" when serious things need to happen. Why is this a bad thing?
*If* the adults are doing their jobs, then this adult-centric society is planning for the future, by focusing on the now. We are not just planning for our children. We are planning for their children. And their children's children. But we can't realistically plan for that future without looking at the now.
Of course, most of the adults in this adult-centric society are too busy acting like kids, with me-first attitudes and whining about feelings, rather than embracing the suck and doing what needs to be done, no matter how painful or how many feelings are hurt. So while this adult-centric society *should be* focused on the future - as responsible adults would be - we have a bunch of kids running the show and only worried about what makes *them* happy *now*.
Your rose-colored pie in the sky philosophy feels good and briefs well. But it solves nothing, and serves only as a distraction.
150 kids in 20+ years. Out of millions upon MILLIONS each and every year. The odds of a kid being killed at school in any given year is something like 1 in a million.
If facing down a 1 in a million chance is an "extreme act of courage," then I hate to think of you as a former Officer. I shudder to think what risk management looked like when you were planning training. Or, Gods forbid, ACTUAL real world operations.
Also, if you placed your kids on that bus with no clue what their school looked like, you are just plain negligent. Don't blame society for your negligence.
Yes, we live in an adult-centric society. Because adults make the decisions. Why? Because kids, in general, are neither smart enough nor rational enough to make them. We discuss having "adults in the room" when serious things need to happen. Why is this a bad thing?
*If* the adults are doing their jobs, then this adult-centric society is planning for the future, by focusing on the now. We are not just planning for our children. We are planning for their children. And their children's children. But we can't realistically plan for that future without looking at the now.
Of course, most of the adults in this adult-centric society are too busy acting like kids, with me-first attitudes and whining about feelings, rather than embracing the suck and doing what needs to be done, no matter how painful or how many feelings are hurt. So while this adult-centric society *should be* focused on the future - as responsible adults would be - we have a bunch of kids running the show and only worried about what makes *them* happy *now*.
Your rose-colored pie in the sky philosophy feels good and briefs well. But it solves nothing, and serves only as a distraction.
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PO2 Jack LaBarge
SP5 Richard Welch - remove all firearms, and the Derainged will Use a Knife, Baseball Bat, or JUST ABOUT ANYTHING TO KILL (MURDER)! HITLER Used OVENS for some 6+ Million people! Want to be Safer? Arm the fuck up!
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SP5 Richard Welch
PO2 Jack LaBarge - They might, but their CAPACITY to kill in high numbers will be limited. Tell me a person w a knife can kill as many in one event as someone with an AR and I'll justifiably call you a liar because you know better. No worries, we know that you are ok with the capacity/numbers as they are or you'd be calling for change.
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SFC Casey O'Mally
SP5 Richard Welch A knife in the hands of an expert is far more lethal than a rifle in the hands of an amateur.
You once again seem to be arguing that SOME death is perfectly OK, as long as it isn't a LOT of death. Why worry about the CRIMINALS and their intent to murder? Let's focus on the tools so that they only murder a LITTLE BIT instead of a lot.
You once again seem to be arguing that SOME death is perfectly OK, as long as it isn't a LOT of death. Why worry about the CRIMINALS and their intent to murder? Let's focus on the tools so that they only murder a LITTLE BIT instead of a lot.
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PO2 Jack LaBarge
SP5 Richard Welch - SP5. Why would I want to “change” what the 2Amenment says? Sorry about the piece of Lead in your shoulder, but try being Thankfull that (Your still a Live). Many that have been shot, are not! And (if) you have Ever been in a knife fight, you know that NO One gets out of one without being “Cut”! Or, rarely! Good people with a Firearm is just That! A GOOD PERSON!
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A fair and well presented opinion but (you saw that coming, didn't you?) have you considered...
If this is an adult-centric nation, why are children encouraged to forgo growing up? We see it all around us. Children are encouraged by government policies to remain under the care of their parents. Their healthcare insurance coverage remains (by government dictate) subsidized by their parents. Their teachers, all of them k-12 and into college and post graduate school, indoctrinate them into the comforts of socialism in which they resign adult rights and responsibilities, in essence prolonging childhood to the grave with government remaining in loco parentis throughout their lives.
And how are children responding to all of this? Again, it's obvious. Many avoid traditional social intercourse (some even sexual intercourse) as well as marriage. As for parenthood, forget it! Who wants all that responsibility. However, for those who fall into parenthood accidentally, fear not. The government will happily step in and take care of those responsibilities for you.
Thus, to me, we live in a child-centric nation.
Regardless, adult-centric or child-centric, what effect would either have on crime?
First, we have to agree that all murder is a crime. Mass shootings. School shootings. Hate shootings. All are murder if the victim dies and all are crimes. Why then don't we discuss them as crime issues? I suspect because crime isn't politically expedient.
I'm going to keep my response briefer than your initial posting. There is much more to be said, but I'd prefer participating in a dialog as opposed to ranting...
If this is an adult-centric nation, why are children encouraged to forgo growing up? We see it all around us. Children are encouraged by government policies to remain under the care of their parents. Their healthcare insurance coverage remains (by government dictate) subsidized by their parents. Their teachers, all of them k-12 and into college and post graduate school, indoctrinate them into the comforts of socialism in which they resign adult rights and responsibilities, in essence prolonging childhood to the grave with government remaining in loco parentis throughout their lives.
And how are children responding to all of this? Again, it's obvious. Many avoid traditional social intercourse (some even sexual intercourse) as well as marriage. As for parenthood, forget it! Who wants all that responsibility. However, for those who fall into parenthood accidentally, fear not. The government will happily step in and take care of those responsibilities for you.
Thus, to me, we live in a child-centric nation.
Regardless, adult-centric or child-centric, what effect would either have on crime?
First, we have to agree that all murder is a crime. Mass shootings. School shootings. Hate shootings. All are murder if the victim dies and all are crimes. Why then don't we discuss them as crime issues? I suspect because crime isn't politically expedient.
I'm going to keep my response briefer than your initial posting. There is much more to be said, but I'd prefer participating in a dialog as opposed to ranting...
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SFC Kelly Fuerhoff
This is the most ignorant thing I've read today. We do not force kids to not grow up. There are kids who have their childhood ripped from them every day. Look no further than the kids who survived Uvalde, Parkland, and every other school shooting. Kids who are abused daily have to grow up faster than their peers. Kids with medical issues. The list goes on.
I hope my daughter can stay on my health insurance as long as possible because when she has to find her own, she's gonna have a hell of a time with all she's been through. So I have no issue providing that so she doesn't go into medical debt through something she had no control over. She didn't choose to be born and let alone with the shitty genetics I didn't know her father and I gave her.
Who cares if kids are growing up and choose to be celibate? Or choose to not get married? Or choose to not have kids? That's exactly more mature than past generations that they realize, hey, I'm not cut out to be a parent so I'll avoid bringing a life I can't care for into the world. And to recognize they're not cut out for marriage...my mom should have never gotten married or had kids when she did. She was not mature enough. But she did and then my entire childhood was filled with emotional and verbal abuse as well as my siblings. Having to spend years wondering why she seemed to hate us when we didn't ask to exist...
Plenty of people shouldn't have kids and shouldn't be married. Those aren't things everyone is built for.
Where does the government take over responsibility for parenting? Your post is filled with so many stereotypes it's disgusting.
We definitely don't live in a child centric nation. Kids are never put first in society.
I hope my daughter can stay on my health insurance as long as possible because when she has to find her own, she's gonna have a hell of a time with all she's been through. So I have no issue providing that so she doesn't go into medical debt through something she had no control over. She didn't choose to be born and let alone with the shitty genetics I didn't know her father and I gave her.
Who cares if kids are growing up and choose to be celibate? Or choose to not get married? Or choose to not have kids? That's exactly more mature than past generations that they realize, hey, I'm not cut out to be a parent so I'll avoid bringing a life I can't care for into the world. And to recognize they're not cut out for marriage...my mom should have never gotten married or had kids when she did. She was not mature enough. But she did and then my entire childhood was filled with emotional and verbal abuse as well as my siblings. Having to spend years wondering why she seemed to hate us when we didn't ask to exist...
Plenty of people shouldn't have kids and shouldn't be married. Those aren't things everyone is built for.
Where does the government take over responsibility for parenting? Your post is filled with so many stereotypes it's disgusting.
We definitely don't live in a child centric nation. Kids are never put first in society.
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CPT Jack Durish
SFC Kelly Fuerhoff - Thank you for explaining your down vote. Many simply toss them like hand grenades and run away. You obviously have great passion on the subject. Indeed most share it. I do. The problem is that you appear to believe that we differ in our goals. We don't. I want to see children safe and well-launched into adulthood. I have long believed that it is the duty of parents to protect their children while teaching them to protect themselves as adults. Where we seem to differ is in methodology. Sadly, your passion gets in the way and we can't have a rational discussion. So, allow me to wish you well and bid you adieu...
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All I see at Uvalde is a complete failure of the Public Safety(AKA Police) system to respond in an adequate and timely manner. The shooter had crashed his truck and was shooting OUTSIDE the school for 17 minutes and there was no attempt to stop him. The shooter was inside the school for more than an hour before the two Border Patrol agents engaged him in defiance of Police orders and killed him. What kind of weapon he chose really isn't relevant, he had over an hour before an armed person intervened to stop him. He could have done as much damage or more if he had brought his granddaddy's double barreled shotgun. My professional opinion as a former Infantry Officer is that this was a giant Cluster Fuck.
Just as a Counter Point, there was this incident. https://wchstv.com/news/local/victim-hospitalized-in-charleston-shooting
Next time, call the Fire Department. They still run INTO burning buildings.
If it is widespread protocol to wait for SWAT in an active shooter situation, the departments need to seriously rethink that protocol.
Just as a Counter Point, there was this incident. https://wchstv.com/news/local/victim-hospitalized-in-charleston-shooting
Next time, call the Fire Department. They still run INTO burning buildings.
If it is widespread protocol to wait for SWAT in an active shooter situation, the departments need to seriously rethink that protocol.
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CPT Lawrence Cable
CWO4 Terrence Clark - Like I mentioned above, a big issue that the Chief of Uvalde defended was the protocol to wait for SWAT, which in this case was both bad intelligence and the wrong decision.
I do believe that some of the rather stupid "social activism" has made the police in some large metro areas to take a hands off attitude. I work in a midsized Kentucky city that usually had a very low murder rate and gang violence. That isn't true anymore and something that has really turned for the worst in the last 4 years.
I do believe that some of the rather stupid "social activism" has made the police in some large metro areas to take a hands off attitude. I work in a midsized Kentucky city that usually had a very low murder rate and gang violence. That isn't true anymore and something that has really turned for the worst in the last 4 years.
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Cpl Bill Johnson
The "wait for SWAT" model has been gone for for twenty years. There is no excuse for their failure. The chief should be fired. The "men" that waited for ah hour should be fired. I have been training officers and agents in patrol response to the active shooter for ever twenty years. The response by the officers in Uvalde is an absolute disgrace.
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CPT Lawrence Cable
Cpl Bill Johnson - Maybe. But seeing prosecutors/judges in certain areas repeatedly release/or plea bargain down dangerous criminals certainly has an effect on how Officers react. You see it in Chicago, most of California, Philly, just to name a few.
Uvalde isn't exactly a major metropolis, I would not assume that their protocols were current.
I don't disagree with the last part.
Uvalde isn't exactly a major metropolis, I would not assume that their protocols were current.
I don't disagree with the last part.
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