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As I watch the tragedy unfold in Uvalde, Texas, I am crying along with the rest of the country.

Because I am a working security guard paid to protect large sums of money, I wonder why we don't pay the same kind of money and attention to something even more precious than money? Our children. I am a father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. I love all my children dearly. It is my hope that some reasonable laws can be enacted to possibly prevent such horrible events like this in the future.

At the same time, I am a firm believer in the Second Amendment. Laws are like cameras — they don't stop criminals. They are after the fact. What stops criminals are doors that close, barricades that stop or limit access and people who resist the criminal. Law enforcement will tell you not to resist if you are being attacked.

I respectfully disagree. I look at criminals as a mountain lion or bear or some other type of animal that may try to do you harm. It is up to you to be able to protect yourself. There is a saying that I have heard many times: “When seconds count the police are just minutes away.” You don't improve security by disarming the people who need protection.

One other thing that I would like to see is the improvement of the 911 call. When you call 911 the operator asks you, “What is your emergency?” You then have to verbally describe what the emergency is. I have a phone that does FaceTime. I FaceTime to my brother in L.A. all the time. I wonder how hard would it be for your phone to bring up a picture on the 911 operator's screen so that she or he can see in real time what is going on and who is making the call — thus eliminating a lot of ambiguity.

Of course, it would be recorded and possibly sent to police in real time. That would save lives and I don't think it would infringe on anyone's privacy. It could only help. What do you think?

— Joseph H. Balocca/Vallejo