Tipping point

I am almost numb from the continued violence our children are being subjected to and by the prevalence and ease of owning guns in America. I don’t know which hurts more, seeing our kids laying on the ground or watching them walk in lines with the hands over their heads.

We blame mental health issues and then Congress cuts the mental health budgets and hospitals shutter their facilities. Thousands go untreated.

Within the limited scope of his executive powers, President Obama did what he could to control the sale of guns to the mentally ill. In January 2016, he expanded the gun background check to include the identification of Social Security recipients who were unable to work because of mental impairment and posed a possible danger to themselves and others. It became illegal to sell them guns. Also people on the “no fly” list were disqualified from gun ownership. Within two months of his presidency, President Trump used his hammer to quietly repeal this very sensible act.

We are always told that the problem is lack of enforcement of the current laws that are on the books. This is a farce. This is an NRA talking point.

This is America! We profess to be the greatest nation on the earth, and yet, we can’t protect our citizens. We are the only civilized nation that has this proliferation of guns and people more than willing to use them. The problem is in Washington. We need to step up and say enough! Get them out of there. Let’s elect people who are not bought and paid for by lobbying groups.

Lena T. Sidney, Houston