We hear of “solutions” to the issue of trying to protect our children while they are in school. It may be time for us to turn to the marketplace, since prohibiting individuals from unbridled access to weapons is not something that our elected officials are willing to do.
The costs of our current situation are substantial. Actuaries can provide us with real numbers about the cost of deaths directly related to guns. They can further provide data about the costs of taking care of the injured.
The number of law enforcement personnel who must be called upon when a “Parkland” occurs is great. The costs of medical and psychological personnel are significant. The costs to schools to implement programs and build facilities to better resist assaults must be a big number. A task force could compile the data so we have an accurate number.
Those for whom weapons are deeply important should be willing to pay for them - including the fully loaded costs of such weaponry. Those who “need” them could still acquire them. They would just need to pay the full costs. Those weapons with the greatest potential for incurring such costs would have a higher price than would a single shot shotgun.
The dollars raised could be used to further protect our children. The schools could spend their dollars on education instead of protection and the gun owners would still be able to own their guns. They would just have to pay the real cost.
C. M. Burgess
Hermosa
