The staff at Sandy Hook Elementary did everything right as did the Newtown law enforcement people. But 26 children and staff members were still murdered.
Mrs. Lanza lawfully purchased her arsenal of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, which were easily accessible by her son, Adam.
Our cities have been struggling with gun violence for years. A city or state will limit or ban assault weapons only to have their citizens go elsewhere to legally purchase them. A lot of people don't travel to Mexico because of the drug/gun violence - most of the guns having come from the U.S. A person in Ohio can carry a concealed weapon into a bar as long as he doesn't drink. And Gov. Kasich sees nothing wrong with concealed weapons being brought into the statehouse parking garage.
The media has saturated the air waves with the tragedy in Newtown, Conn., for days and then some of our citizens were so inspired as to start calling in bomb threats to our local schools. I'm sure the media are just trying to provide what the viewers want, but it also inspires copycats.
The NRA's solution to school shootings is to place armed guards in every school and most Americans still want the "freedom" to purchase any type of weapon they want. It takes a lot of courage for the rest of us and lawmakers to disagree publicly.
President Obama is right to call for a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and I hope he is successful. It is time to "take back our country" with common-sense gun laws.
Carol Lazear Mitchell
Marietta
