How to Help Prevent Violence

The shooting of the Chabad Synagogue in Poway is a terrible event that never should have happened. After such events, people often try to find reasons and ways to prevent further tragedies. One of the harsh realities about these events is that as long as there are things that make us stand out from one another, whether it be the color of our skin or what we believe in, there will always be people that will be out to get us. So, the best thing we can do to prevent further tragedies is to actively work on preventing them.

While some feel that the banning of so-called “assault weapons” will stop these type of events, it is just not true. It is easier than one thinks to make a crude gun. This is evident in the Dara Adamkhel region of Pakistan where guns have been made with very few power tools and mostly hand tools ever since the British came in 1839. If we did ban the “assault rifles” and all other guns, then people would use whatever they could get their hands on to do harm. Anything can be used as a weapon from bombs made out of pressure cookers to our cars.

Then, what should be done to stop these events from happening in the future? One of many solutions would be to crack down on radicalized groups. These groups often have websites, social media pages, gatherings, and high profile members. Cracking down on such groups would help stem the flow of citizens being radicalized by these groups. And this would aid in preventing people from being exposed to negative thoughts which, have to lead to individuals carrying out these types of actions.

Another step that could be taken to prevent these events from happening is on us. Since no one knows us better than our friends and family, we often notice when our friends and family members change. We should report any odd or alarming changes in our friends and family to the appropriate people or groups. This could stop people from being radicalized and stop plans formed and carried out. This could also be an opportunity to get the affected person help to make sure they don’t go back to their bad ways.

These are some of the most effective tactics we can use to help prevent future events like the one from happening.