Editor:
I had hoped the recent shootings of young children in Connecticut would lead to both sides of the debate on firearms to create a climate that would produce a logical way to protect our schools from lunatics. But alas, it appears that the usual nutty nostrums are proposed to secure the safety of children. Somehow smaller magazines and the banning of so-called assault weapons will bring complete security to our schools. Anyone familiar with firearms could tell you this will accomplish zero. But, it will chip away at the Second amendment, which is the real objective of the liberals.
The following steps, however, can be done fairly soon and with minimal upheaval and expense. Every school needs a sworn, armed and trained law enforcement officer in the school during operating hours. Every school needs a quality CCTV system monitoring exits, entrances and hallways, which would be monitored by the officer on duty. The law enforcement officer also needs a wireless panic alarm connected to local police headquarters for immediate help; if banks have them why not schools. I would hope the above measures could be accomplished on a state-by-state basis because anything done by the feds usually does not work out very well. As for financing, it could be done at the local level through property taxes, I am a property owner and have no problem with such a tax.
Alas, I fear that the above measures will be rejected out of hand by the liberals, progressive and Bolsheviks that comprise a large part of the Congress and also live in the White House. I believe they do not care one bit that the lack of armed security in our schools contributed directly to the deaths of the children in Connecticut.
In closing, a little firearms lore for the ignorant: an AR-15 is not a machine gun. Automatic weapons have been illegal for the general public since the 1930s. It helps to know what you are talking about before you put your foot in mouth. But, there are people who think shoe leather is gourmet food.
William H. Taylor
Dolores
Via email