Trump fails to unite nation on gun issue

The shooting at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue in Squirrel Hill was the deadliest massacre of Jews in U.S. history.

Las Vegas was the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. Parkland, Fla., was the deadliest high school shooting in U.S. history. The 14 pipe bombs mailed to Democrats and others was the biggest political assassination attempt in U.S. history.

All of these occurred on President Trump's watch. To make matters worse, a strong case can be made that Trump's own rhetoric contributed to the pipebomb mailings, synagogue attack and probably others.

Where a president is supposed to use his bully pulpit to unite citizens and calm the waters, Trump is doing exactly the opposite. The president's No. 1 job is to protect America's citizens. If he really wanted to protect us against the mass shootings, he would demand banning the AR-15 assault-style rifles.

Sure, the National Rifle Association would be up in arms, but who else other than Trump could accomplish this? If Trump had visited the Squirrel Hill crime scene immediately afterward and witnessed firsthand what an AR-15 does to human bodies, surely he would be deeply affected. He can still view the video. Ed Sokalski

Salisbury Township