Tripp Stroud 

Avoca

To the Editor:

We have just witnessed the fourth mass shooting in as many weeks. This time it took the lives of 19 fourth graders in Texas. Those kids were locked inside their classroom along with two teachers and were murdered in front of each other. Let that sink in. The horror.

Churches, schools, grocery stores, country music shows, Walmart, the list goes on. All of these places have been the targets of mass shootings. Rural Texas, downtown Milwaukee. Mass shootings happen everywhere.

It hasn’t always been this way. Until 10 years ago, it was never this way. People, our way of life is under attack and the terrorists are winning. It is un-American to continue down this path.

There are many things patriotic people can do to take back our country from the kind of senseless gun violence that’s taken hold here.

First, “harden” schools with security measures against what we saw in Texas. Yes, it doesn’t get at the root cause of gun violence but we can’t let perfect be the enemy of the good. Protect kids and teachers until we solve root causes.

Second, keep guns out of the hands of criminals. Very little structure exists today for law enforcement to see how violent criminals get their hands on guns and where the guns come from. Arm law enforcement with the data to keep illegal guns off the streets.

Third, reclaim gun culture. Gun ownership used to reflect traditional values — respect, responsibility, patriotism. The way guns are marketed and talked about today, I see none of those values. That leads me to my final point.

We must hold gun makers liable for their practices. Guns and ammo are a capital “B” big business. Their job is to make money, period. I don’t fault them for that except when it comes at the expense of innocent American lives. When you market a product in a way that encourages gun violence, you should be responsible for the consequences.

We don’t have qualms holding other big businesses liable for the way they market their products, just look at tobacco companies and opioid makers. Yet somehow state and federal legislators have seen fit to put gun makers above the law by passing legislation that makes the industry immune from lawsuits. This kind of corruption and corporate welfare needs to be reversed and repealed. Make gun makers liable for their actions just like everybody else.

What you put up with is what you stand for. It is un-American what some folks, especially our state and federal leaders, are willing to put up with when it comes to gun violence. We cannot afford to go on this way. One school shooting is too many.