Listen to the Imploring Voice of the People, Mr. President

By I S Saluja

President Trump seems convinced that more guns in the hands of more people can secure school and community. In his listening session with survivors of Stoneman Douglas High School Parkland, Florida shooting which resulted in death of 17 young students, Trump suggested arming 20 % to 30 % teachers of a school as a safety measure at a school. Obviously, President is obsessed with the idea of more guns in the hands of more people. I recall how he said he planned to make America great again. One of the ways he suggested was to have more weapons and be the strongest nation in the world. Well, he has a right to his opinion. But so have others.

Many were surprised at his idea. Many were simply shocked. Many pooh poohed the suggestion, as Sen Nelson who described it as “a terrible idea” later in the evening at the CNN Town Hall in Tallahassee. Even one of the most committed supporters of NRA Sen Marco Rubio, at the CNN Town Hall in Tallahassee scoffed at the idea. He said the job of the teachers is to teach, not to carry guns. At the same time, he expressed fear that an armed teacher may just as well cause another tragedy in having a gun in hand, in the event of an attack at a campus and arrival of a SWAT team who are more likely to act fast on seeing a gun in the hand of a person.

They are not going to wait to know that it is ateacher who has been given a gun for protection. A teacher at the Town Hall said it plainly that she could not think of carrying a gun. Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel simply laughed at the idea, saying how could a few teachers secure a large school campus.

What is needed is a common-sense gun control policy. We must respect 2nd Amendment which was passed for the safety and security of people, not for their killing.

Over the decades since it was passed there have been so many situational shifts that a fresh look has to be given with the objective of ensuring that dangerous guns do not get in to hands of everyone and that our schools and neighborhoods are safe.

Raising the age limit for securing a gun, background checks, mental health checks and taking off the shelf guns with high caliber could be some solutions to the problem, to begin with. What is needed is loyalty to people of America, not to NRA.

I will repeat what I had said in an earlier comment, “gun in the hand of a good guy against a gun in the hand of a bad guy” policy does not work. I hope, President of America will listen to the voice of the people.

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