Let’s Get Tough on Gun Control

To the Editor: 
Recently, an absolutely stupid suggestion was made by people who would have teachers armed in the classrooms throughout the country, to intervene in case of entrance by an intruder. This suggestion is another ‘bailout’ for school boards and city authorities. Doing this would relieve them of responsibility. Let the teacher do it! If an intruder gains entrance and is not stopped, that armed teacher is to blame. Also, if a teacher was to shoot at an intruder and a student was hit as a result, the court cases would go on into the next century. To be sure, the teacher would be found at fault. Yet, sadly, there are some who will do this.
New Jersey authorities have just announced that the illegal gun traffic coming into New Jersey over the Pennsylvania border is unbelievably enormous. What could be done is to establish, at all entry portals into New Jersey, National Guard border patrols to stop and search any and all cars or trucks that, in their opinion, could possibly carry illegal weapons. Those found to be carrying such contraband should immediately and automatically be tried in a court that only handles this type of case and the sentence, if found guilty, should be 10 years in prison without parole. If found with illegal guns, there can be no excuse.
To purchase a legal firearm in New Jersey, the legal age should be raised to 25 years old and you should be an American citizen with a job and a social security number. You will also need to obtain a clearance from your local police department, have a New Jersey driver’s license, and a clean police and driving record. You should also need to be trained and certified by a local police shooting instructor at your expense. Also, the gun purchaser should be required to have a $10-million insurance policy and maintain proof of renewal similar to auto insurance. Any deviation from the above should result in serious jail time.
It’s time to get tough on gun control. If states around us refuse to do so, we have a responsibility to take control of our own future and the future of our children. A child getting killed in a classroom by some nut with an illegal gun is unacceptable. Any politician who refuses to vote for the above gun control if it becomes legislation should be replaced immediately. The strongest power on the face of the earth is not the NRA, it’s the vote! Use it.