Many won't agree with this but I believe the problem with these shootings, as at Northern Illinois University, isn't that there are people willing to make a name for themselves shooting into an unarmed mass gathering. The problem is that the mass gathering is unarmed.

When our laws deny a person the basic right of adequate self-defense and protection, our laws do not serve to protect but to enable the very same people we need to protect ourselves against.

We take shots to protect against the flu. We use contraception to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

We winterize our cars to protect against breakdowns in mid-winter.

We even have fluoride treatments to protect our teeth at an early age.

For what? So someone can just walk in and wipe out all we thinking people do to stay ahead of other issues?

Until we implements some kind of concealed carry laws, we will remain victims and be victimized twice over - by our laws' failure to enable its citizens to protect themselves and, lastly, by a gunman who doesn't care enough about the innocents to even face the music and explain his twisted logic for his actions.

Twisted logic is what our congressmen have in common with the gunman at NIU.

What's the answer to this dilemma? Enable citizens to carry concealed weapons. The change will be for the betterment of all.

A gun-free zone is a frightening as hell. Why advertise our stupidity?

Laura Lee Pettie

Bloomington