There is a form of child abuse that goes unrecognized in our society today — it’s too subtle to be called that, but it’s there.

It’s the abuse of children coming from all who claim the right to possess any and all weapons they wish to have, even if these can become the instruments of choice used by deranged individuals in the slaughter of children in our schools.

As much, it’s the child abuse that comes from legislators who time and again, after these tragedies, do nothing about them — and vote against any measures that might halt the ease of purchasing these killing machines — which could prevent just one instance in the murder of innocents.

Ask one of the victimized families, if that would be reasonable.

And then it is the child abuse by a gun industry that keeps producing these gruesome killing devices.

The recent school shooter in Tennessee, over a short span of time, and despite a mental condition for which she was being treated, bought seven weapons legally, hiding them from family. Tennessee has no red flag law that might have kept her from such purchases and has one of the most relaxed gun-buying procedures in our country. Two of these buys were for the assault rifles used to kill three 9-year olds.

The gun culture supplying these weapons for killing, that supports the ones championing them — the politicians who guard their availability — carry the image in their hearts reflecting this new form of child abuse.

Paul Baribault, Lewiston

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