Mark Cushman, in his letter printed Dec. 16, seems to equate gun-free zones with tragedy. Does that mean that free-fire zones are preferable?

I’m not sure that mall shoppers, students and their parents, or churchgoers would find much peace in their surroundings if everyone were packing heat.

Even in Dodge City, guns were checked at the church door.

The writer notes that the United States has more than 20,000 gun laws, none of which does much to reduce crime. He states that people who hold concealed weapon permits have been fingerprinted and have undergone thorough mental and criminal background checks.

What if there were just one gun law throughout the land? Everyone who buys or sells or owns a firearm undergoes such a check.

Maybe a second law requiring a waiting period before the transaction goes through.

What the heck, let’s have just one more – every gun is registered. After all, our cars, potential agents of vehicular homicide, are registered.

That’s three laws, not 20,000. Are those too many to abide?

Growing up, I recall atomic bomb drills at school, as if getting down under a desk would really help.

We are beginning to see lockdown drills at schools. Should local stores practice these as well? Should we fit one in between scriptures and hymns at church?

Just as more antibiotics don’t seem to be the answer to resistant germs, I don’t think more guns are going to decrease crime or promote public safety.

Dr. Edward Walworth, Lewiston