To the editor:
In response to last week’s letter from Ms. Frances Patterson of Durant regarding the tragic school massacre in Parkland, Florida, I feel compelled to point out some inaccuracies and omissions.
I appreciate and respect her opinion that students and faculties around the nation should observe a day of mourning, which is actually supposed to occur on March 24, 2018. If this event occurs, I just hope that the motive truly is to remember and honor the memories of the victims of this atrocity and is not hijacked by a liberal/progressive agenda and turned into an anti-gun/anti-Second Amendment political rally.
Ms. Patterson expressed opinions of “no guns,” “no NRA,” “no AR-15s,” but nowhere in her letter addressed the issues that actually caused this tragedy.
The monumental failures of the law enforcement and mental health agencies that missed many opportunities to prevent the attack, make feel that it’s even more necessary to own an adequate array of weaponry in order to protect my person and property. It’s obvious that those tasked with our safety and security are very likely to fail. Every level of government failed to keep guns away from a dangerous mentally ill individual and, again, the mainstream media ignores the facts and mounts a full frontal assault on the Second Amendment and responsible gun owners.
Ms. Patterson’s letter made no mention of these obvious failures and the need to hold our mental health and law enforcement agencies accountable for making changes that will hopefully prevent another attack. Other than the “tool” used to commit carnage, the common denominator of tragedies at Sandy Hook, the Texas church and Parkland is mental illness.
The likelihood of making changes to law enforcement and mental health in time to prevent another nut case from getting a gun are slim to none, so that makes it necessary to do things that can be done quickly. Luckily we have a leader in the White House that is willing to start the dialogue about legislative actions and also supports hardening our schools with enhanced security measures and allowing trained and qualified individuals that work and teach in schools to carry firearms on the job.
The end result will be much better by applying reality based common sense and logic rather than emotional over reaction.
Dana Gwin
Attala County GOP Vice Chairman
