Shirley Katz has improved! This is the woman from Medford, OR, who is doing a round of national media interviews this week to plead her case – she wants the Medford school where she teaches to recognize her second amendment right to carry a concealed weapon to school.
Her “American Morning” interview on CNN Wednesday was pretty pathetic. Last night on “All Things Considered,” she sounded stronger. She also had more grist for her mill! The Cleveland High School shooting. Very convenient! So she focused on school security. Shouldn’t schools hire more security staff and just be safer all around, she reasoned? A great way of bringing a hot news item to her existing message, but it seemed to confuse the issue, not strengthen it.
What's her message, really? School safety? 2nd amendment rights? Or the pressing need for women to protect themselves from abusive men? Each of these issues is huge. So it's not working for her to throw all three of them in her media message.
As she describes it, her husband (or is it ex-husband?) is out to get her, and she wants to feel safe in case he comes busting through the door with an Uzi. Fair enough. But it's a bit disingenous to hang her hat on the 2nd amendment. If it wasn’t for her ex-husband, would she be interested in the right to bear firearms? I doubt it.
She’s scary too. When asked if she would be willing to fire the gun if an armed assailant charged into her classroom, she said yes. Absolutely! No qualms! Even if it was a kid! My compassion for her as an abused woman evaporated as soon as she said that. Maybe it’s because I’ve never been an abused wife, but from the point of view of reaching a general audience, you’re stirring the pot, Ms. Katz, but not in a convincing way. I’m not buying your argument because I don’t think you believe it. It’s coming from the mouths of the Oregon Firearms Foundation, the organization that’s paying for her campaign.
If you choose to have them represent you and pay your legal bills, admit that up front, touch on the 2nd amendment issue, then throw all your weight behind your most honest message -- the fear and the danger that you and so many women in our society face at the hands of men who abuse them. You need America to feel your pain. Right now, we don't.
