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I read with interest your October 18, 2026 article on page C6 by Pastor Donald Gaffney, "Pastor works to facilitate dialogue about gun violence." I can only ask the pastor, "What is the rest of his plan to prevent gun violence?" How does he contemplate preventing future Sandy Hook school shootings? I was surprised to read the pastor has a license to carry concealed gun permit. Does he carry in his church to protect his flock?
Far too many "Common Sense Gun Controls" proposed by well-meaning folks merely impose more gun controls on honest gun owners. We have laws against tax evasion, incest, fraud and murder. I ask the pastor which one prevents any crimes and is that his "common sense" template?
The Sandy Hook school shooting was a tragedy helped along by the shooter's mother who bought the guns and took her troubled son shooting often "to bond with him." On the day of the mass shooting, her son murdered her, stole one of the guns and shot up the school. Would a 500-page common-sense gun control law have prevented the shooting?
Just yesterday in Bend, Oregon a troubled teen shot up an elementary school killing 3 kids and a teacher. He was stopped by an honest, licensed gun owner, who also had 2 kids in that school. This fortunate event proves that the only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is to have a good guy with a gun. The hero citizen carried his gun into the school and violated the Gun Free Zone Law as did the mass shooter. So much for laws preventing anything.
RON BENJAMIN
Mansfield
Submitted by email