E Scott Cracraft: Answer to school violence is not more guns but fewer

To The Daily Sun,

The recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas was tragic. Nineteen elementary school children and two teachers died. Grief drove a teacher’s husband to suicide.

Many things went wrong that resulted in more casualties than there would have been had people followed proper protocols in effect throughout the country. This includes the school itself.

Moreover, the law enforcement response was paltry. If they had followed the protocols that have been in effect in every law enforcement agency for at least a decade, more might be alive today. Moreover, the way the hysterical parents were treated is inexcusable. Worse still, the police lied about it.

No one wants police shot any more than the kids. Like soldiers and fire fighters, police officers sign up for a job with many inherent risks. No teacher should have to take these risks.

The idea that teachers and professors should be armed is ridiculous. Teachers are not soldiers or police and neither should they have the risk of death added to their rapidly growing list of duties in return for paltry pay and little respect.

The answer is not more guns but less. We need strict and enforceable gun laws at the federal level. If police officers trained in the use of firearms were afraid of an assault rifle, why do we let everyone own one?

We suffer more gun violence than any developed country. No one can feel safe. We need to ban military weapons for ordinary civilians and enact stricter laws for other guns including longer waiting periods, “red flag” law and deeper background checks. Violators should suffer strict penalties.

We need more than “thoughts and prayers.” We need action.

E. Scott Cracraft

Gilford