As any sane person in this country, I wholeheartedly agree with Brandon Wolf’s Viewpoint (“Guns on the Ballot,” 7/14) that something effective and immediate has to be done to curtail the madness of chronic mass shootings. Arming teachers and school officials is not the answer. Why? Because as Adam Horvath (“Don’t Let Teachers Lose The Arms Race,” Letters 7/14) points out — using a little sarcasm — unless you arm teachers with AR-15s and provide them with body armor, what clear-headed teacher is going to confront a shooter like the Uvalde murderer, when 19 cops didn’t dare to risk their lives while being out-gunned?

Back to Wolf, who says, “It’s not political to take action to prevent the senseless murders of innocent children.” Of course it’s political! And there is nothing wrong with taking a political stand. It’s the duty of every citizen to be involved in politics. “Political” is not a bad word. Seeing politics as a negative thing, as a problem, is the problem. It leads to apathy, neutrality and disengagement.

Marco Elliott

Eugene