High noon in Econ 101

Curtis Stone’s letter in the March 20 Spokesman, alluding to the Virginia Tech massacre, implies that if there had been more armed people present, the disaster may have been averted.

Oh, maybe. But I can imagine a lecture hall full of armed-to-the-teeth students. A madman rushes in the back and begins shooting. A hundred and fifty students draw their guns and also commence firing. Few would probably know who began the melee, but they would soon see dangerous-looking people pointing weapons and gun them down.

The place would erupt into a total firefight, with no one knowing friend from foe. Then sages like Mr. Stone might declare that if the students had automatic weapons and grenades, it all might have been prevented.

I can’t imagine that putting more guns into the hands of more people will solve anything. It never has before.

Most of these shooting incidents happen in high or middle schools. Would Mr. Stone advocate arming these students also? Should we provide brown shirts and train a young Vigilante Corps?

Mr. Stone invokes the Founding Fathers. Great men, but perhaps it’s time to consult mothers instead. They may have more percipient insights than pistol-packin’ ideologues.

Dick Warwick

Oakesdale, Wash.