Dear Editor: Guns. Guns. Guns.

Dear Editor,

Is there anybody out there…just nod if you can hear me. (P.F.)

Entering Whitehall from the east “looms” a message. An affirmation of hate and barbarism. The shameful battle cry of America’s spiritually worn and morally lost. And an ominous epitaph cut into the tombstone of its victims.

“Guns. Guns. Guns.”

The false God of godless America. “The Gun God” is worshipped like the golden calf in the wilderness by those drunk with addiction and pathological ignorance of the truth.

“Guns. Guns. Guns.”

The #1 cause of death for children, teens, and young adults under the age of 25. Also, the #2 cause of injury death for ALL of America 25 and above (Johns Hopkins).

Uvalde, Texas: Nineteen children and two teachers were shot so many times with an assault weapon the parents were unable to identify their own children.

Imagine that horror.

2,062 school shootings in America, 1970-2020. 683 dead and 1,932 injured (Center for Homeland Defense & Security).

948 since Sandy Hook on 12/14/2012 (Sandy Hook Promise).

Montana is a part of America, right?

You know what, none of the 2,062 children and others in the schools died from “stricter gun law…….” No first or second grader was slapped to death by someone’s “hand”…….

“Certain popular music” did not cause the death of any third or fourth-grade child…….

Gun-free zones, “video games,” mental health, “screwdrivers: or any other delusional theory based on delusional thought, ended their lives. They ALL died from a gunshot, fired from a gun.

“Guns. Guns. Guns” caused the death of 4,357 one to nineteen-year-old children and teens in 2020 (Johns Hopkins).

“But guns are not the issue” (Ledger, 6/1/2022 Letter to Editor).

“Guns. Guns. Guns” account for 79% of all homicides in the U.S. (U.C.R.)

“Guns. Guns. Guns” caused the death of 45,222 Americans in 2020. The highest number ever, going back to at least 1968 (C.D.C.).

“But guns are not the issue.”

693 mass shootings in 2021. An all-time record, 440 more than in 2013 (G.V.A.).

In 2022, not a single week has passed without at least four mass shootings. The week after Uvalde, there were 20.

Every week in America, 868 people are shot to death (CDC). Many, many more were injured.

“But guns are not the issue.”

19, 384-gun homicides in 2020. Another record. A 75% increase from 2010 (CDC).

“Guns. Guns. Guns” stopped the beating hearts of 1,357,000 people in America. In the last 40 years (Johns Hopkins).

“But guns are not the issue.”

Do you all know gunshot victims are 5x more likely to need blood transfusions than other patients and need 10x more blood when receiving a transfusion? Gunshot victims are 14x more likely to die than other patients (Johns Hopkins).

“But guns are not the issue.”

“Stricter regulations simply make the average citizen easier prey.” (Ledger, 6/1/2022 Letter to Editor).

“States with weak gun laws and higher gun ownership lead nation in gun deaths, new data for 2020 confirms” (see page 10, VPC).

“States with the highest rates of overall gun deaths in the nation are those with weak gun violence prevention laws and higher rates of gun ownership. In addition, states with the lowest overall gun death rates have some of the strongest gun violence prevention laws in the nation and lower rates of gun ownership” (VPC).

“The evidence could not be more compelling than states with fewer guns and strong gun laws have strikingly lower rates of gun deaths” (VPC)

…” but it should be clear that stricter gun laws are not the issue here.” (Ledger, 6/1/2022 Letter to Editor).

The 6/1/2022 Ledger Letter to the Editor is total garbage. A sick and ugly attempt to justify the unjustifiable (impossible to excuse, pardon, or justify) and rationalize away the irrational (marked by a lack of accord with reason or sound judgment).

Do not “eat” garbage. It will kill you and your children.

Protect children, not guns.

Gerald Johnson

Cardwell, Montana