Assault rifles. Why should they be available to members of the public? They have only one purpose: to kill people! When I was in Vietnam in the U.S. Army I was issued an M-16 (an assault rifle). All that I learned about that weapon was aimed at its killing power. If it didn’t kill, it did major, permanent damage to whoever was shot with it.

I know the Second Amendment gives us the right to bear arms, but assault rifles are not an acceptable weapon for the public to own. We are not allowed to own machine guns, grenade launchers, bazookas, etc., etc. If people want to shoot assault rifles they can join the military. Ban the sale of any more of them and set up a program to repurchase them all from the public.

All the talk about the mental health of the shooters, the “yellow/red flag laws,” radicalization of the shooters on the internet, increasing the minimum age to purchase assault rifles, are all red herrings and distractions. The common denominator of mass shootings, especially in schools, is the availability of assault rifles. Get then off the streets!

Paul Lariviere

Manchester