Geary Foertsch took most of a column to complain about others' stance regarding gun laws, but failed to express a single suggestion about what can be done about potential gun violence in Delaware. He did not take the time to study what laws are in place here, and how school administrators see their role in dealing with troubled or violent youth.
The only link between the headline, which seems relevant, and Delaware school administrators' stance on discipline is in the last sentence of the column.
The failures of all the systems in place leading up to the Florida killings are the result of flaws that make these systems ineffective or make enforcement impossible, usually due to the lack of political will at the national level, from those on the right and those on the left.
For example, gun purchases in most localities require a background check. I think that's a great idea, but gun purchases at gun shows are regulated only some of the time - no one knows how many vendors are registered gun dealers; up to a quarter may not be.
This is just one example.
The refusal by the Congress to authorize or fund police or others gathering statistics is another.
These are problems that could be fixed in a matter of months, but Congress and the president see fit to do nothing. (Bump stocks are still legal.)
Failures by Florida to act in ways that got this very disturbed youth some real supervision, including a police record, contributed to the FBI's lack of action, which stands at the very bottom of the many crimes of abuse and neglect by the state and the local governments. Clearly, Cruz had years in which to develop the hate and anger that led to this massacre, and the record reflects exactly that. Yet, nothing substantial occurred in the rush to move him along.
There are many causes behind this event, but accusing others and offering not one positive suggestion as to how this massacre could have been avoided is beneath a columnist's role. I hope to see this amended in the next column. I also hope to see a column that illuminates the subject for readers in Delaware.
David Dagenais
Milton
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