The Feb. 14 Florida mass school shooting (and the previous several) show that too many good people are helpless against determined deviants and killers. They are unarmed, untrained for any defense, and essentially naked and afraid. Helpless.

In another small state — Israel — these types of things don’t go on and on for dozens of victims, especially when perpetrated by one guy. Israelis live in an atmosphere of constant possibility of serious attacks, not just by crazies or mentals, but well-planned terrorists. Buses, schools, malls, churches — every populated place. How do they reduce, mitigate, or halt senseless chain massacres and one-after-the-other slaughters? The good people, lots of them, carry guns. They are not naked and cowering. They shoot back, right there.

In the U.S., it is pretty much only the bad guys who are armed (and always will be) among the crowds of “nice” respectable people.

Hence the gratuitous, unchecked carnages with no bullets going the other way. Notice that, with few exceptions, these mass murders are stopped by a bullet, the thug’s own or someone else’s. When seconds count, the cops are just minutes away.

Teachers and other legal adults — coaches, janitors, staff, nurses — even students should be allowed to carry. Leave it to the states to set “qualifications.” Unlike driving on government roads, bearing arms is a right.

One, two, maybe five might die in the next rampage, but not dozens. Also they’d “get the right guy.” The sobering thought of a deadly return fire would give pause or deterrence to many would-be “record setters.”

On a defensive / passive side note: We used to have fire equipment in schools that said, “In case of fire, break glass.” Our kids are in killer traps. Teach and promote chairs, rocks, hammers to the windows. Even third story jumps are survivable. “In case of firing, break glass,” a slogan to live by.

Dennis Brossman

Lander, Wyoming