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Knee-jerk reactions following a school shooting, while understandable, are counterproductive. Lip service by politicians or phony concern from the vacuous media will not get us within a thousand miles of a resolution.

Like my car, any rifle I possess will not cause harm by itself. The fixation on blaming the NRA is irrational hyperbole at its frenzied best … no NRA, no murders, problem solved.

There were 37,461 auto accident fatalities in 2016, including 2,000 (plus or minus) kids under the age of 16. Applying anti-NRA logic we should ban cars. However, blaming Ford or GM seems as silly as blaming the NRA for nine school shooting deaths (two were suicides) in that same year.

FBI data for 2014, ’15, and ’16:

- Rifle/long gun-caused deaths averaged — 294

- Knife-caused deaths averaged — 1,581

- Blunt object-caused deaths averaged — 451

- Hand/foot-caused deaths averaged — 627

Obviously we must ban knives, hammers, bats, hands and feet.

Why did the founders, in their infinite wisdom, pen the Second Amendment? Do the homework.

God bless America, and God bless our military.

STEVE BRIXEN

Sandpoint