Go directly to jail

Seven-year-old Christopher and his school friend were suspended last Friday from their school in Virginia.  They were caught in a form of illicit play -- pointing their pencils at each other and "making machine gun and 'bang bang' noises."  The school stated that the school's zero tolerance policy against weapons or "anything that resembles a weapon" mandated a two-day suspension.

A few months ago, six-year-old Rodney was suspended from his school in Maryland.  He had pointed his finger at a friend and said, "Pow!"  His "permanent record" says that he threatened a classmate with gun violence.  He was suspended for one day.

I'm strongly in favor of gun control.  I'm appalled by positions taken by the NRA.  As I've stated on numerous occasions, if I were re-writing the Constitution, it would contain no Second Amendment -- or, if not eliminated entirely, the Second Amendment would be drastically watered-down.

I have even on occasions, out of humorous frustration, proposed plans for carving a gun-lovers' reservation out of the Old West, where those so inclined, together with their guns, could go and settle their daily disputes however they chose without being troubled with laws or police --  in exchange for strict gun control in the rest of the United States.

I also, however, believe in common sense.  Common sense justifies banning weapons on school campuses.  It justifies confiscation of toy guns and other weapons, just as it has historically justified confiscation of other distracting merchandise -- marbles, jacks, squirt guns, and their modern equivalents such as cell phones.

Common sense would prohibit kids from having pretend shoot-outs in the classroom while the teacher was attempting to teach.  It does not, however, justify banning kids' fantasy play on the playground that involves pointing pencils -- or fingers! -- at each other, and exclaiming "Bang, bang, you're dead!"

And even if such kids' games were to be banned, common sense certainly would not justify school suspensions for such forms of play.

A little sense of proportion, folks. Please.