Dear Editor: We Have Forgotten Who We are As a People

Dear Editor,

I apologize beforehand for the relative touchiness of the subject at hand. However, here we go again!

The most recent school shooting has anti-gun, or at least stricter gun law advocates, in an uproar. I realize we’ve been here before, but guns are not the issue. History tells us stricter regulations or just outright gun bans simply make the average citizen easier prey for those who would unrighteously try to control us. No, the issue, the problem, if you will, is human nature! Society in general plays a part in this drama as well, obviously, with the violence encouraged (some would say engendered) by video games, certain popular music, etc. (“Let’s ban video games!”)

We can lay the blame for these senseless acts of violence where we wish: parents, teachers, gun regulations, etc; but what it really comes down to is choice! Individual choice. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: if one person wants to kill another, or even a bunch of others, he or she is going to accomplish it (or die trying) with whatever weapon comes to hand, even if it IS their hand. Do certain guns, especially, make it easier to accomplish this goal? Most certainly!

Montana has had a total of 8 school shootings since 1970, compared with more than four times that for the number 10 state, Georgia. This is not because Montana has stricter gun laws, or even because it has fewer guns per capita. I believe it would be safe to say, on the contrary, that Montana has more guns per capita; while Georgia, like most Eastern states, has stricter gun laws! I’m not saying Montana is somehow better than these other states, but it should be clear that stricter gun laws are not the issue here!

Until the real issue is addressed, these senseless acts of violence, not just the gun-related ones, will never cease! “What IS the real issue?” one might ask. The real issue is one that lies at the very heart of our humanity; we have forgotten who we are as a people. History has taught us one thing, if nothing else: violence solves nothing, it only breeds more violence! It may seem to “fix” things temporarily, but that’s all it does: it’s not even a Band-Aid!

Charles Haddon Shank

Whitehall, Montana