Perhaps when hardly a day goes by without a news report of a shooting somewhere in this country it’s time to start addressing how this country views firearms. I’m not saying abolish the Second Amendment, and I’m not saying to get rid of all guns. I do  think reasonable regulation of near-automatic, semi-automatic weapons and units to modify them to be more automatic is a good idea. I also thing training, background checks, psychological screenings and testing before being allowed to own a gun would be a good idea. And we seriously need to address how this country fetishizes violence in general and firearms in particular.

I know this won’t stop things completely, but hopefully it would help slow it down. I come from a family full of current and former members of the military, and they were not given their weapons without extensive training. Why should civilians be any different?

I come from a family of hunters and I have no problem with that or home protection. But something needs to change. I am weary. I am exhausted of reading day after day of mass shootings in this country. I know that those who truly want to hurt people will find a way, but why should we make it easier for them?

After every major act of violence or attempted act of violence with anything other than a firearm, the items involved became regulated in some fashion: fertilizer sales after Oklahoma, shoes in airports, liquids in airports. Why do we refuse to do the same with guns?

My spirit is absolutely exhausted from reading about these so often. Something has to change.

Aimee Johnson

Gainesville

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