Dear Editor,

The recent shootings at a school and on college campuses exposes the falacy of “gun free zones” being safety zones. The mentally ill shooters who target these zones are not stupid. They carefully pick their targets and go where they can create the most havoc and have virtually no resistance. They are not concerned with gun laws or restrictions, so more “gun control” is not going to hinder their plans at all.

If we are looking to stop these senseless acts of violence we should look at the people behind the guns. Most have histories of mental illness and many have even boasted of their plans on social media sites prior to actually committing the crimes.

There should be at least one person on campus who can and will defend the helpless with lethal force if required.

Living in a rural area, my right to own a gun is an important personal safety factor. Calling 911 here will get the police to the scene of the crime in time to do cleanup, but not in time to defend me from an intruder or from a criminal attack. My home is not a “gun free zone” and I do not plan on being a helpless victim.

Chrystal Perrow

Winthrop