The American public has accepted the deaths of thousands of people each year by the automobile. I don't recall anyone proposing the elimination of the automobiles, but loud and clear for guns.

During the past three years, we have accepted the deaths of more than 32,000 people per year by the automobile. Every year, more than 3,000 teens between the ages of 15 and 19 are killed. In years prior, we accepted the deaths of more than 40,000 people a year by the automobile, 99 percent are the result of breaking a law! Why are we not upset over these numbers?

Based on the 10 leading causes of death in 2010, deaths by an automobile or gun were not even close. Of the 2,468,435 people who died in 2010, less than four-tenths of 1 percent, or 0.004 percent, died as a result of a gun related homicides.

Now let's get real! Is our concern really the loss of life or is it just a reason to disarm the public?

It is not the gun or automobile that kills. It is the individual who is in control. We must find ways to identify these individuals early and get them proper treatment.

MILES JAEGER, West Richland