Demand more to save kids

I’m angry with myself, our government, and fellow citizens. I came upon a Spokesman-Review March 22, 1994, article, with the headline: “Parenting rated best way to prevent violence.” Other information from three different polling firms revealed that good parenting and schools teaching conflict reductions “will reduce violence.” But the easy access to guns and violent television, movies and video games will contribute “a lot” to violence.

You think? Since 1994, guns have contributed to about 570,000 deaths by our own folks with homicides, suicides and accidents. The Week magazine of Feb. 1 revealed that 5,285 U.S. children were killed in 2005 by guns, with 57 in Germany and none in Japan.

We must all be collective idiots to have the data and know this information and not be outraged by the number of gun deaths each year (30,000), and yet take no serious steps to stop, or reduce, the slaughter. The lack of political leadership and the ongoing benign neglect by most of us is shameful. We should demand and expect more from ourselves and our government.

Bob Banta

Liberty Lake