LTE: Mastriano and guns

Editor, Gettysburg Times,

In reading Mastriano’s article linking school security with refusal to accept any sort of gun reform, I was struck by the absurdity of his position. He calls for a $20 million funding increase in the state budget to pay for armed resource officers, metal detectors, door fortifications, emergency response training, security cameras and door-locking technology– devices normally used to fortify military installations or federal buildings.

Why would schools need all these things if there weren’t so few restrictions on who can buy and carry guns? The proliferation of weapons, encouraged by Mastriano and his GOP cohorts, is equated with liberty to them. But for most of us, liberty would be freedom to attend school, go shopping, or attend a parade without fear that someone is lurking nearby with a legally-purchased assault weapon randomly aimed at passersby.

The only way to assure that sort of freedom is to double down on background checks, ban assault rifles, and provide more funding for community mental health. Until we put our money into those reforms, there will be no freedom from fear of shootings.

Janet M. Powers,
Gettysburg