Another shooting

Schools were once considered some of the safest places in the country.

That has changed.

The recent killings at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore., are the most recent evidence that schools are easy targets.

This attack by a young man is the continuation of frightening attacks on innocents. Obviously, the wave of gun violence in the nation is not over.

Many demand stricter control of guns to avoid more mass murders. Others want gun ownership rights protected at all costs, interpreting the Second Amendment to give relatively unfettered gun ownership to citizens.

There has to be a middle ground.

Take the First Amendment rights of free speech, for instance. These rights are protected and revered. Still, there are limits. The simple example of not yelling “fire” in a crowded theater is classic and understood by everyone.

Guns as tools, guns for hunting and sport or guns as artifacts pose little danger. Guns for protection in these times may make sense to some, but not everyone has the same notion of self-defense.

Many solutions to the wave of gun violence have been proposed. One is changes in our mental health systems. Another is simple vigilance. Much stricter registration requirements and background checks are on the table. Also voiced is the idea that more citizens should be armed.

With the killing rampage in Oregon, the debate over guns will again hit a crescendo. Extremes in the argument exist. Each side is backed by powerful advocates, and each is equally emotional.

We have learned not to cry “fire” in theaters while still protecting freedom of speech. We can also learn to preserve the right to own and use guns without the carnage that we have witnessed over the years.

One thing we must not learn is that the on-going violence is the new status quo. That is a frighteningly dismal prospect and the most dangerous outcome.

The issue needs to be thrashed out, and every side of the issue needs to try to evolve reasonable solutions.

There surely is a way to protect gun rights and protect the lives of innocents.

Gordon Forgey

Publisher