Letter: How many more massacres must happen before assault weapons are banned?

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February 8, 2013

Letter: How many more massacres must happen before assault weapons are banned?

Anonymous The Salem News The Salem News Fri Feb 08, 2013, 04:30 AM EST

To the editor:

How dare Anthony Mirabito write a column for The Salem News and state that the tragic school shootings in Newtown, Conn., are being “exaggerated” and prompting calls for stricter gun controls! Twenty beautiful and innocent angels were slaughtered with a terrible weapon in the hands of a deranged person.

When the founding fathers wrote the Second Amendment, they could not have had any concept of these horrendous weapons with so many rounds of ammunition. They could not imagine that people would not have to hunt for their food.

How many more massacres must we have before we ban the use of these assault weapons? We could never remove all the guns owned by the “would-be cowboys” in this country, but we must start somewhere. No one is trying to remove guns from homes; just ban these weapons designed for use by the military.

It is too bad so many had to die before we realize how violent and unfeeling our society has become. We must look for the root of the problem and not just throw more money at mental health. We must examine the violent video games, violent and obscene movies and TV shows that young men spend so much time on. We are corrupting the youth of America who are our future. It is all to make money.

I wonder how Mr. Mirabito would feel if someone in his family were a victim of one of these weapons. Would he say it was “exaggerated” as long as he could use the Second Amendment to have his toys?

I hope these children did not die in vain and we at last try to stop the ever-growing violence.

M. Kelly

Peabody