I stand for our right to bear arms. That said, I'm pretty sure I don't want every Tom, Dick & Jane out there armed especially if not properly trained. IMO hardening soft targets is a slippery slope. Where does it end? Everyone straps on a side arm? Scares me. In time arming all may help stop some of the problem but it will not deter a crazy person hell bent on shooting up someplace if they have already decided to die in the process. Perhaps the shooting spree duration would be shortened but it will not stop it.

What I find disconcerting, in many cases, the shooter's instability is known yet there is seemingly no path to identify and/or treat these people. I can't help but wonder if poor parenting, overwhelmed school staffs and slashing of state mental health budgets aren't as much to blame as the guns are. CME-469 is correct. People kill people. Guns only make it easy. In any big city a nut can drive up onto a sidewalk and do uncalculated damage. Removing guns from the equation will just change the weapon of choice.

Then there is the Vegas shooter. Sadly, I don't believe that kind of event can be stopped without giving up far too much personal freedom. The odds of being caught in one of these events is so small I'd rather take my chances than give up all our personal freedoms.

So, my vote, keep our right to bear arms intact. Limit certain firearms/ammo. Create a real Federal registration and background check program. Reinstate local school staff and state mental health resources to help these kids before they get so far off track. Toughen penalties for violent crime including expedited death penalty in clear cut cases.