Letter to the editor: Steps we can take to stop gun violence

Sadly, as our country slowly returns to normalcy, it seems mass murders by white domestic terrorists have returned also. Lax gun purchase laws in Georgia allowed the shooter there to go out and purchase a gun as easily as buying a soda in a convenience store.

Had there been a five-day waiting period (or cool-down period for those with mental issues), perhaps the issues that plagued the Atlanta shooter would have passed, or he could have sought help instead of acting on his fatal desires.

Like clockwork, within two weeks, there was another shooting in Colorado. One detail we know is that the shooter should not have been able to possess a gun. Second Amendment nuts always fear total bans. That is not what reformists want. We just want to find a way to keep deadly weapons out of the hands of the mentally ill.

There is no foolproof method, but red-flag laws and waiting periods for purchases are a step. Hopefully someday those on the right will come aboard. Sadly, even with a majority, the Democrats will be thwarted in the Senate if they try to pass any commonsense legislation. If this occurs as usual the blood will be on the hands of the GOP.

Joe Lucas

South Side