GUNS: Bill makes sense

HB203 is just the kind of sane thinking that we need to help protect students and school employees who wish to be able to defend themselves and kids. It returns us to how things were before we created “gun free zones,” which encourage malevolent behavior by people who are willing to kill innocents, which is of course already illegal. By definition, criminals and others with abhorrent behavior are not deterred by signs or laws. As one who has recently retired from 45 years total in Fire/EMS and as a police trainer, I believe I have an informed opinion.

There are numerous persons who carry guns regularly, including those with Idaho Enhanced Carry Permits who have far more training and experience than an 8-hour course. There are people who do not know how to act appropriately in an emergency and they therefore think that no one else knows how to either. This is of course not true. Infringement of the Second Amendment is exactly what has emboldened dangerous people and has made schools more vulnerable to psychos. Infringing on individual rights while loudly proclaiming that you are not infringing does not make it less so.

In my years of experience and having trained many thousands of responsible citizens and cops, I know what those folks are capable of. They have been and are responsible and safe. I also know what violent and dangerous people are capable of and my trust goes with the good guys. Why are some people more afraid of their fellow citizens with guns than psychos with guns? Thanks, Mr. Christensen for HB203, a simple and reasonable bill.

ROBERT B. SMITH

Post Falls