The headline on page A3 of the Jan. 3 Herald, "Shooting renews gun law debate," was sad. Bill Wade, a former superintendent of a national park, proclaims in the article that the tragic death of ranger Margaret Anderson at Mount Rainier could have been prevented if Congress had not rescinded the ban on guns in national parks. His unfounded castigation of congressmen and senators who voted to allow for firearms in national parks is just another irrational knee-jerk reaction to a tragedy.

It's probably true the shooting could have been prevented, but not by more gun laws. There are laws against killing people now on the books and the suspected shooter didn't seem to obey those laws. Why would he obey laws against having loaded guns in the park?

According to a separate front-page article, the suspect had trouble transitioning from Army to civilian life. Perhaps if the tragedy were to be prevented we need to look at why the military failed to address the problem of post-traumatic stress disorder in this case. Perhaps the military needs to look at why the suicide rate and violent crimes such as domestic violence are higher among military personnel than the general public.

DENNIS CARLYLE, Kennewick