Thank you, Mr. Carroll

I congratulate Mr. John Carroll on his intelligent and insightful letter to the editor (“Stop the carnage”) published on May 23. He said “I am a 25-year veteran, a lifelong gun owner and Republican, and support gun owners’ rights …”

I am also a veteran but, otherwise, our beliefs are probably miles apart. I’ve never owned a gun in my life and never would. And I am a lifelong Democrat. He also said “We put controls on dangerous dogs, explosives, when people can drive cars and use of alcohol. We require people to have special training and insurance but do nothing to exercise the same level of care with who can use these assault weapons.” I could not agree more.

Although we are of different political parties and probably possess many divergent ideologies, I believe Mr. Carroll and I could shake hands, sit down at a table and hammer-out some kind of an agreement that would begin to protect our children from this present carnage, while not violating the silly Second Amendment.

Unfortunately, the outrageous political climate in Washington precludes this.

Kevin Martin

Spokane