J.R. Lind (“On arming teachers and other reactionary notions [1],” Dec. 24) refers to “the cool efficiency of law enforcement” while deriding proposals to restore law-abiding citizens' right to protect themselves in so-called “gun free zones.”
What “cool efficiency” did law enforcement display in taking 20 minutes to arrive at Sandy Hook Elementary school as students and teachers huddled under desks, defenseless to fight back against a demented assailant? Once the killer realized a gun was pointed at him, he took his own life, thus ending his murderous rampage.
What “cool efficiency” did law enforcement display in New York last August, when they sprayed the Empire State Building area with sixteen rounds, injuring nine innocent bystanders in addition to felling the suspect?
What “cool efficiency” has law enforcement displayed nationwide during its recent epidemic of family pet shootings — a crisis that has led to the creation of Facebook pages and YouTube compilations?
However, we should give credit to law enforcement for one thing: creating a workplace environment for themselves that discourages the types of incidents we’ve seen in “gun free zones.”
—Charles Held, of Mount Holly, N.C.
Links:
[1] http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/weekly-obsession-arming-teachers-and-other-reactionary-notions