Public Comment

Are we safe anywhere? Only people driven by madness or hate could perform the ugly deed that has shaken the whole country. Bostonians cheering the marathon could not have imagined such a tragic finish to the race. Homeland Security and law enforcement agencies need help from law-abiding citizens to identify the culprits. We should also consider what else can be done to protect innocent civilians from acts of terror in the future. Are our laws against terrorism strict enough? Are immigration officials given enough training and authority to identify terrorists as they seek to enter the US for their own vile purposes? Our freedom is so precious and so vulnerable. We grieve but we also want to think of ways to secure that freedom against terrorists hell-bent on destroying our open society. 

At the same time we want to protect our open society against gun owners within the US who are not required to undergo background checks. Guns are safe only in the hands of mature citizens who will not use them except in cases of mortal danger. Unfortunately, the gun lobby is more interested in sales than in the safety of ordinary citizens in an open society. How many Newtowns will it take before we recognize the peril to our children and our elders from reckless sale of assault weapons in the U.S.? 

Can no one hear the parents of the Newtown school children crying?