To the editor:

Several points about this latest mass killing in our schools need clarification:

The Democrats once again like to confuse and scare the American people about the “assault weapon” lie. But the legally available AR-15 today is a one-shot firearm, not an “assault” rifle. It is used for hunting and target shooting, like other semi-automatic rifles. The AR-15 as used by our military is an “assault weapon,” capable of rapid machine gun level firing. Such rifle firing capability has been banned in the United States for more than 75 years. Look it up.

So-called “Gun Free Zones” at many of our schools provide an open invitation to criminals bent on these horrific crimes, because they have no fear of defensive gun-fire from within such schools. Much better to replace such signs with “Protected by Qualified Gun Owners.” And have all our schools with highly well-trained and willing armed teachers or uniformed guards.

This is the Democratic liberals’ warped viewpoint: It is OK to use guns to defend our politicians, banks, sporting events, Hollywood celebrities and so on, but not for our precious young school children.

Ron Pyle

Suffolk