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Nov. 17, 2019 3 AM PT TO THE EDITOR: I am a resident of Santa Clarita, where the Saugus High School mass shooting took place on Thursday. By the time this letter is read, many will have

probably already moved on from the tragic events that occurred in my hometown. But not me — and not the people I grew up with, the students and staff at Saugus High School, and the parents

who will never hug their children tightly again because they are dead. School is a place that is supposed to be safe. To those who believe their vote won’t make a difference, vote. To those

who believe they don’t have a voice, speak. Our nation’s children need you. _Molly Robbins, Santa Clarita_ .. TO THE EDITOR: It’s normal to ask ourselves why tragedies like mass shootings

occur. And, as with any trauma, our initial human reaction is shock, denial and confusion, followed by sadness then finally acceptance and empathy. It is how we have evolved to cope with

loss. But lately, it seems that any time a tragedy unfolds, the media, celebrities and politicians immediately converge on the public, disseminating their theories, placing blame and

pointing fingers, always seemingly anchored in their belief in their own overwhelming importance. This does not allow the public to grieve. Even worse is that the self-described experts are

often injecting a false narrative onto the public conscience. Most often they blame guns. They misrepresent the truth about cause and effect. The truth? A nearly 50-year-old study conducted

by the surgeon general showed certain children to be overwhelmingly affected by media violence. It made them more prone to act violently and more frightened of society. Sad thing? That was

almost 50 years ago. _Jeffrey Ferrin, Palmdale_ .. TO THE EDITOR: It is absolutely infuriating how we use the words and actions of our wise founding fathers to justify and drive home our

arguments. One day we hear that the Constitution they wrote is such a perfect document that it needs no modification. Then the next we hear of their prescient wisdom in allowing for the

amendment of said document. What would these wise men think of how we’ve manipulated their centuries-old writings to allow for the buildup of civilian-owned arsenals, be they for “hunting,”

self-defense or for ill? What would they say if we told them that we’ve just experienced the 366th mass shooting of the year? It’s disgraceful. Congress, wipe the blood off your hands and do

your job. _John Knox, Costa Mesa_ .. TO THE EDITOR: Can someone please tell me to which “well regulated militia” the Saugus High School shooter belonged? And why were the killing of two

classmates and the wounding of three others “necessary to the security of a free state”? Those who vehemently insist on defending the final 14 words of the 2nd Amendment should pay a little

more attention to the first 13 words. _Brian Lipson, Beverly Hills_ .. TO THE EDITOR: I listened to a TV news anchor break the news of the Saugus High School shooting by saying that the

“scene has become all too familiar.” This should not and never be the case. This is not something that should ever be familiar. When are we going to answer the cries of these frightened

students? No student should ever be hiding from gunfire at school, but our government won’t do anything to end these senseless tragedies. How many children have to die? _Han Tran, San Jose_

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