As news reports of the Connecticut shooting unfolded, my 8-year-old nephew explained how the lockdown procedures work at his school.
I thought of the ridiculous "duck-and-cover" drills when I was young. I also wondered how is it that we have reached a point where we have a protocol for protection from armed, deranged individuals who may enter a school?
That we have a national lockdown procedure is indicative of a sick society. We need to do something on a federal level to prevent or reduce these horrific events.
Let's get on board with three simple but effective laws, and move forward to prevent, or limit the scope of these tragic events:
Establish a national firearm registration reviewed by the FBI. This database would be an extension of the Brady Law, and background checks would be required. One would be required to produce a firearms registration document if stopped by the police or during a police investigation. Punishment for not abiding to federal gun laws should be swift and painful.
Limit purchases of high-capacity firearms by using stringent background checks and impose large fees for ownership of assault firearms and large-capacity handguns. The weapon owners would be subject to annual fees and weapon ownership would be reviewed by the FBI.
Establish a firearm security policy that states all firearms, except in target or hunting environments, must be locked and secured in a manner where they cannot be accessed by anyone other than the gun owner. Again, non-compliance to this law should be swift and painful.
I am not naive enough to believe these policies would end gun violence, but the laws I have listed would be a good start. For the record, I am an avid hunter and sport shooter.
KEVIN KEEFE
Gansevoort