BY JASON HENNINGTON
This column represents the thoughts and opinions of Jason Hennington. This is NOT the opinion of the Taylor Press.
Just in the past week, there have been at least two threats made on school districts in the area.
A bomb threat reported in Thorndale closed a school for day. In Jarrell, authorities there said a student threatened to “shoot up” a campus, leading to the pupil’s immediate removal.
These incidents happened only two weeks after a similar case at Taylor Middle School.
Last week, I addressed bullying and I still believe that bullying leads to many of these regrettable episodes. The problem is, people think it’s OK to make threats, whether they plan to carry them out or not. Making a threat to harm someone is never acceptable.
However, many of us are guilty of such actions, even if we don’t promise a violent act.
Yes, you and me both have made threats (probably extremely dry, empty words) out of anger or desperation in a situation and don’t realize what we’ve done. How many times have you said, “Oh, I’m going to slap so-and-so,” or that you’re going to kick somebody’s butt?
Even telling a child they are going to get a spanking or be put in timeout are considered threats by some.
Unfortunately, most people don’t see those as reason for major concern. The issue isn’t the utterance that harm might be intended, it’s the fact that we have been programmed to think it’s all right to say things without facing repercussions.
In other words, it has become a normal part of society to say these empty things implying a forceful action or denying a need, especially towards people we know. It’s usually because we both know nothing will come from it.
Making a threat also is a form of defense.
When my young daughter Jasmine says, “Daddy, I’m going to bite you,” I know to stop doing whatever it is I’m doing at that point. Whether it is tickling or just teasing her, I know she’s starting to get irritated.
So, in some extreme and criminal cases, when someone says they are going to shoot up a school or blow up a building, quite often the root case can be traced to something gnawing at the core of their being, disrupting their mental health and they want it to stop. In most cases these threats have no force behind them, other than to instill fear and act as a cry for help.
However, school districts and law enforcement have to take them seriously for the safety of everyone.
The moment these threats are not taken seriously, a situation could become tragic.
I don’t know whether a wholesale solution exists to stop threats from being made or at least reducing how often they happen, but all of us should become more aware of bullying, what signs to watch for, how to put an end to such practices, listen to our children better and find solutions to deal with anger and frustration.
The one making the schoolyard threat often needs help, but so does the bully who may have prompted the angry response.
It’s hard to reprogram our minds to change something we’ve done for so long, and probably still do, but threats can be serious and should not be ignored.
I’m going to get off my soapbox now and go watch some NFL football until I fall asleep, which will probably be before kickoff.
“Those that are the loudest in their threats are the weakest in their actions.”
— Charles Caleb Colton
