NEWTOWN SHOOTINGS
Ensure kids’ safety,
arm school faculty
I imagine that the readers who have written letters about the need for gun control never owned or shot a gun; do not know the difference between a revolver and a semi-automatic handgun, and wouldn’t recognize an assault weapon from a paint gun.
Gun control does not work, because it is only effective against people who already obey laws. Terrorists, criminals and crazy people do not obey laws — making these laws ineffective. The worst place to go is a “gun-free zone,” which just makes sitting ducks of those inside.
Every school should have several faculty members who conceal carry.
MARCY KARON, ATLANTA
Memorials all forget
shooter’s slain mother
Memorial ceremonies held across the nation and various private memorials remember the children who were killed by Adam Lanza. I am afraid in the midst of all these remembrances that one other victim was forgotten: Adam’s mother, who was the first person killed that tragic day.
People may want to fault the mother for what she did or did not do in seeking treatment for her son, or for having guns in the home. However, unless we lived in Nancy Lanza’s home, we do not know what fear of her son she may or may not have lived in on a daily basis. We do not know if he had given any behavioral indications that might have clued her into taking actions to prevent the tragedy. Unfortunately, answers to many questions died with her and her son.
I remember that there was one other shooting victim that day — and am absolutely embarrassed at anyone in this nation who fails to recognize that fact.
DAVID J. STEWART, SMYRNA
KUDOS
Appreciation given
for complete news
I thought the Dec. 23 edition of the AJC was outstanding, and full of special reporting and information.
It made me realize that without the AJC, I would have no other source for detailed facts about what is really going on in metro Atlanta. Thank you for a great job to all involved.
JACK NEEDLE, STONE MOUNTAIN
DIVERSITY
We should celebrate
our different cultures
How ironic, to see a letter to the AJC bemoaning the fact that the writer’s “holiday of choice” is no longer being emphasized (“School performance eliminates ‘Christmas’,” Readers write, Opinion, Dec. 21) juxtaposed in the same section as a column by Thomas Friedman (“Egypt must look to India for lessons on governing,” Opinion, Dec. 21).
One writer wishes to ignore that there are more than likely a considerable number of children at the school who are not Christians — so they should not be forced to celebrate a religious holiday not of their culture.
The other writer extols the value of inclusion of many different cultures in the building of a strong, just and democratic nation.
America is made stronger by the nature of its diversity. Celebrate it.
SUSAN BAKER ARASI, COLLEGE PARK
