GUNS: Doc's opinion DOA

“Would you feel comfortable with your physician or nurse being armed as they lean over you to offer their care?” asked Dr. Mike May, a surgeon who’s armed with sharp deadly weapons when he leans over you.

Dr. May used irrelevant anecdotes (Press, March 13) about gang violence in a big city to warn us that Idaho teachers and parents with concealed carry permits are too violent and irresponsible to be allowed to carry guns around school children. They aren’t like him, a man of great discipline and character who can wield deadly weapons without maiming and killing children.

Should we be worried about lesser mortals in Idaho? No, because past predictions by gun control enthusiasts about Idahoans’ behavior have been 100 percent wrong.

Over the last 10 years, they’ve predicted that overwrought students carrying concealed guns on Idaho campuses would kill professors over grading disputes; gun battles would erupt daily in the streets if we were allowed to carry firearms without first getting permission from a sheriff; disgruntled Idahoans would assault state employees if allowed to carry guns into government buildings; and workplace violence would be rampant if we were allowed to store guns in cars at work.

Yet none of the predicted mayhem has materialized. So we can safely disregard Dr. May’s contemptuous warnings about our behavior. It’s time to let teachers and parents in Idaho have the tools needed to stop anyone who enters a school to kill our kids.

DON FLEMING

Pocatello