Letter to the Editor: How did we come to this?

It’s been an eventful week. We watched what was possibly the most exciting Super Bowl in history, only to be rudely brought back to reality when, during the celebratory parade in Kansas City, armed gunmen opened fire, killing at least one and injuring over a dozen others. We hear it said over and over that more guns makes us safer and more free, but I’m not so convinced. I don’t fault anyone for wanting to be able to protect themselves and their families, but how can we believe we are safe and free when we can’t go out in public without the nagging fear that someone with malice in their heart can so easily get hold of one of the 400 million guns in this country and use it against us or our families and there seems to be nothing anyone can do to stop them? How can we say we are free when we cannot go to any public gathering, or school, or building, without running a gauntlet of security checks and body searches to make sure we aren’t carrying any weapons that could be used to commit the next mass shooting?

We have a right to own guns. That is enshrined in the Constitution. But don’t we also have a right to not be afraid of going to church, or school or shopping, or a parade without being a victim of gun violence? And don’t we have a right to enter buildings and public gatherings without being treated as potential suspects?

I don’t know the answers and evidently, our elected officials don’t either. I can just be more cautious and aware and suspicious of my surroundings. Even though that doesn’t seem like a very safe and free way to live in America.

How did we come to this?

John Moore

Newton