The killing of two children at Annunciation Catholic Church in south Minneapolis days ago has once again raised the question whether the rights of gunmakers to make money is privileged over the lives of children to be safe at their place of worship, classrooms, and playgrounds.

And how many more innocent children need to die before the U.S. Congress can summon the courage to stand up to the National Rifle Association?

All guns are not created equal. Rifles and guns have different profiles and reasons for being. Some were made for sports and hunting, others for war and for military assault.

During my boot camp days at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii, my M-1 rifle had higher claim to my bed than my aching body after an arduous day of physical training. Because of a minor infraction of the gun rule, I was once forced to sleep on the barracks floor while my rifle lay on top of my bed. It was to instill respect and care for a killing piece.

And later during my few years of service in Vietnam with Uncle Sam, my faithful sleeping companion was an M-2 (9mm) carbine. It was more for survival than for the revival of the Second Amendment—the right to bear arms.

In their marketing profile, the NRA and the Congress have not been able to draw this distinction.

While the number of school children being killed by military-type assault weapon at their school is not acceptable, our elected national leaders seemingly prefer to turn a blind eye to the problem.

At Virginia Tech, 33 children died on April 16, 2007. On Dec. 14, 2012, there were 28 innocent lives snuffed out by a gunman at Sandy Hook in Connecticut, followed by 17 more at Parkland, Florida on Feb. 14, 2018. Twenty-two more at Uvalde, Texas on May 24, 2022.

All were killed by military assault type weapons. The weapon of choice by the killers.

Since and before the Sandy Hook in Connecticut shooting, the right of gunmakers to make mega millions and bear arms have not been eroded by the tears and blood of school children and their moms. Elected lawmakers were complicit in the gunmakers’ enterprise. And their lust to hold onto Congress’s power of the purse remains secure.

The solution to the killings of school children is not at schools or more prayers at church, although prayers will mitigate the pain and sufferings and accelerate the healing process. And arming teachers or to hire more armed guards are not short-term answers.

The resolution has always been clear and unambiguous from the beginning: Throw the rascals out of Congress.

Atdit hao pare.

George C. Eustaquio is a resident of Frederick, Maryland, and was principal staff assistant for 12 years to Guam’s first delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives, the late Antonio B. Won Pat.