We are not safer with this ruling. Imagine all the guns in every grocery store, every theater, every outdoor gathering, every campus, workplace, etc. Imagine someone hearing sounds like gunfire. Imagine everyone pulling out their weapons. How can you tell who is the good guy with the gun and who is the bad guy with the gun? You can’t. They will all start shooting at each other. We lose so many lives, adults and children, to gunfire. Utterly heartbreaking, and it is only going to get worse. What on earth are we doing?

The July 7 Politics & the Nation article “After school shootings, teachers are struggling for years” discussed the aftermath of several teachers’ experiences during mass shooting events. These teachers are understandably traumatized and are still in recovery, as are their students.

Talented and dedicated teachers have left their professions, which is a great loss, but they have forgotten neither their students nor the shooting incident. Other teachers continue teaching while advocating for their students and taking on activism through gun-violence prevention organizations. Teachers and administrators have created a network of support to assist each other through a horrific experience.

Readers were then given advice on “how to stay safe during an active shooter event” in another news article on the same day: “Plan an escape route. Move away from gunfire. Regain a sense of control.” So it has come to this, in this gun-obsessed society. Please remember that schools practice such events, but when the event is occurring, it is hard to react. The article recommended “taking care of yourself in other ways.” However, the obvious is missing here: Assault-style weapons should not be for sale, and they should not be available to the public. Strict gun-control laws must be in place to stop mass shootings.

Linda Ebersole, Shady Side