What You Should Do About School Shootings

To The Editor:

The conflict and disagreement between the advocates of gun control, on the one hand, and the advocates of unlimited Second Amendment rights on the other is not only absolutely ridiculous but may be fatal to the continued existence of our society. We – YOU and ME and my neighbor and your neighbor -- must speak up and DEMAND that our civic leaders -- elected, appointed and employed – take action now to eliminate shootings by demented people of innocent citizens, not just kids.

Consider these points and then TAKE ACTION. Together we can do it.

1. We should not and do not need to prohibit rational qualified sane people from owning guns.

Adequate well-enforced appropriate gun licensing restrictions will not prevent the vast majority of us from owning guns, and people who qualify will not shoot innocent citizens.

2. We should and must demand effective appropriate gun licensing and owning restrictions and vigorous enforcement of them, so that demented people will find access to guns extremely difficult.

In contrast to revolutionary times two hundred years ago, completely unlimited legal ownership of guns plays absolutely no role in preventing government control or domination of our lives. On the contrary, the events of January 6, 2021, at the Capitol show that unlimited legal ownership of guns can damage our democracy.

3. We should prohibit private ownership of automatic and semi-automatic firearms.

In the interest of public safely, people who derive particular pleasure from blasting a target or an animal to smithereens need to forego this thrill.

4. Steps taken must not be limited to school shootings.

School security must certainly be significantly increased. However, everyone who goes to school goes home daily. If access to schools by gun-toters can be completely eliminated, they will go elsewhere for victims.

What must YOU and I do? Writing this letter and reading it and talking about it ad infinitum will not have any significant effect.

We must not wait until election time. Elections necessarily and appropriately involve many different issues and candidates have lots of different concerns. This issue must be addressed specifically and separately, so that it does not get lost in the confusion.

We must individually tell our civic leaders that we will collectively stand behind their vigorous actions to control the misuse of firearms. We must write letters to every level of authority. We must each insist that our friends and relatives and neighbors, including those of different political convictions, do the same. Our communications do not need to be wordy, and there is no need to include arguments in support of our points. We need to demand EFFECTIVE ACTION.

Here is a copy of a letter that I have sent, by email, to Texas Senator Ted Cruz on this subject. Feel free to use it as a guide. If you will send me a request at farssr@farssr.com, I will return to you a list of civic leaders for Fayette County, with email addresses.

Senator Ted Cruz

cruz@senate.gov

Re: School shootings

Dear Senator:

There is no essential conflict between preserving our Second Amendment rights and eliminating access to guns by demented persons. It is vital that you should do everything in your power to enact legislation that will protect us, and to encourage effective application of that legislation.

Specifically:

1. We should not and do not need to prohibit rational qualified sane people from owning guns.

2. I strongly urge you to work hard for effective appropriate gun licensing and owning restrictions and vigorous enforcement of them, so that demented people will find access to guns extremely difficult.

3. I strongly urge you to work hard to prohibit private ownership of automatic and semi-automatic firearms. In the interest of public safety, people who derive particular pleasure from blasting a target or an animal to smithereens need to forego this thrill.

4. Steps taken must not be limited to school shootings. School security must certainly be significantly increased. However, everyone who goes to school goes home daily. If access to schools by gun-toters can be completely eliminated, they will go elsewhere for victims.

Thank you for your efforts.

F. Arnold Romberg La Grange

La Grange