-- JIM WATKINS, Pasco

I don't believe that we can end the violence. Since man came down from the trees, and before, history is replete with acts of violence by society and individuals. Violence seems to be in our DNA, or at least some of us. I think that the best we can do is to protect ourselves by trying to identify the perpetrators by using psychiatry, observations and personal history; then get them treatments or incarceration. But we must also protect the most vulnerable places. We do a pretty good job of protecting our airports, planes and nuclear plants. Why can't we likewise protect those who are most dear to us. Just banning assault weapons won't do it, and everyone knows that.

However the leftist politicians keep using these tragic events to further their quest to ban weapons. Why? Because they fear an armed population ... and with good reason. Jefferson wisely said, "When the government fears the people there will be freedom; when the people fear the government there will be tyranny." Our governments keep growing at unprecedented rates and in response the people keep arming themselves at unprecedented rates because they sense the erosion of their freedoms. If we have to take to the streets there will be unprecedented violence.