For the Kids…

Dear Editor,

We now have a generation of children born after Columbine and 9/11 who have always lived in an ever more dangerous world. This is in stark contrast to nearly everyone over about 30 years old who never even considered school terrorism or shootings. While many of us feel “it won’t happen here,” our schools practice lockdowns, lockouts and escape routes that remind the students it can. Since the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook, there have been more than 400 people shot in more than 200 school shootings. Despite those numbers, some of us don’t think our kids should be protesting.

With every gun regulation proposal, the NRA immediately screams “they want to take away your guns.” Yet for any gun confiscation to happen, including assault rifles, a Constitutional amendment would be necessary. If anyone on either side of the gun issue really believes that can happen, they should look at the amendment process while considering today’s political situation.

If we are to ever begin reducing gun violence, we all need to come away from our extreme positions and implement measures that don’t really “infringe” on gun ownership or even remotely look like an unconstitutional confiscation of guns. Our generations have failed again and again at correcting major problems in our institutions (Social Security, collapse of the middle class, etc.) that will disproportionately affect the younger generations. Maybe we can finally do something right and take concrete steps to reduce the violence these kids have lived with their entire lives.

Ken Thacker
Sagle