Trump has no right to call officer coward

Dear Editor:

Like most of the country, I was disappointed to find out that a school Resource Officer was unable to force himself to go into a school in Florida where a maniac was shooting children. Having said that, I am not sure that I am personally ready to throw the first stone.

I served in the military, but I am very happy to say that no one ever actually shot at me, nor did I ever even have to duck.

Bluntly, I do not think that there are very many people in this country who understand or will ever understand how very hard it is to run towards the sound of the guns. Army and Marine Corps boot camps do their best to closely simulate an actual combat environment, because drill instructors know that careful training is required to build up the skills, confidence and courage needed by a combat soldier who can and will go forward into battle.

Even more bluntly, I doubt that even Parris Island would be successful in creating combat soldiers willing to go forward into battle if they did not have 19-year-old males (mostly) to start with. Teenage and young adult males generally do not have fully developed forebrains (the part of the brain that says “you are about to do something very dangerous and you should not do it”). I did some pretty scary things before my brain matured. I survived, thank God, but there were several times when I did not think that I would. I do know that now I would have tried much harder to avoid such situations.

I feel sorry for the 50-something school Resource Officer who could not force himself to go forward into the gunfire at the Florida high school. Most police officers go through their entire careers without facing gunfire. He was not one of the fortunate ones. I would like to think that I, in the position of that officer, would do better, but I am not sure that I would.

I heard on the news today that Trump called the school Resource Officer a coward. Perhaps he is. But even if he is, the flat-footed draft dodger is not entitled to say so.

When I first heard that Trump had proposed arming schoolteachers, I thought it might be a good idea. On second thought, however, I asked myself how many schoolteachers do you know who would hear gunfire, take out a gun and then step out into a hallway with bullets flying to shoot it out with a maniac? Two of my daughters teach school. I think they are both brave ladies, but I am not quite sure what they would do in that position. I hope I never have to find out.

Sincerely

Michael C. Hall

Albany