Having more guns does not save lives

Re: “Right to bear arms sadly misinterpreted,” Letter, Dec. 18.

We will now follow the arguments for and against some form of gun control in the U.S. We are hearing of the pro-gun lobby telling us that if there were more guns, this tragedy might have been prevented.

I cannot recall any incident of an armed citizen preventing such an occurrence in recent U.S. history. From Columbine to Newtown, it has always been somebody who was exercising his right to bear arms who ended the rights of those who chose not to, by ending their lives.

Will the pro-gun lobby either demonstrate how their right to bear arms, without restrictions, prevented these tragic deaths of innocent children, or get on board with the rest of the nation who are working diligently to find a way to prevent such tragedies?

I am beginning to believe this pro-gun lobby should be regarded as complicit in the taking of innocent lives by the mere fact they absolutely refuse to accept that their statement that more guns saves lives has been proven false, once again tragically.

Garry Leech, Calgary

Jason Decrow/the Associated Press A boy smiles through his school bus window on the first day back in class for students in Newtown, Conn., since last Friday’s shootings. Reader says gun advocates must stop saying more guns will save more lives.