Keep the pressure on

Thank you to those who keep writing to keep our feet to the fire. I was a mental health nurse in this community for over 25 years, as well as a member of the Inland Empire Critical Incident Debriefing team.

That team provided debriefing to victims, survivors and responders involved in incidents in our area. We witnessed the pain and agony of the people on the scene of the Ridpath Hotel, Moses Lake school and Fairchild Air Force Base shootings. I then found myself taken hostage at gunpoint by someone who wanted to create a media event.

The causes for these acts of violence are complex, and all the factors need to be studied, but we need to act now to alter the formula. Ask yourself if any one of those new graves in Newtown held your child or grandchild, what would you want? I know that I want my grandchildren to be free to learn and enjoy their childhood at school, parks or wherever. I don’t want them greeted by armed guards each morning.

Write your legislators now to urge laws with teeth that will ban weapons that are meant for war not sport or protection.

Roberta Smith

Spokane