The mass shooting in Las Vegas has been called a senseless tragedy as nearly 60 people were killed and nearly 500 hurt or wounded. 

This atrocity has been played over and over on every type of media, and written about in every way as we could only mourn our helpless fellow citizens caught in this barrage.

The perpetrator of this horrendous attack had more than 40 legally purchased firearms. Many were semi-automatic weapons and some had been modified (bump stock) into fully automatic weapons.  All perfectly legal.

Truly senseless is the ease of ownership and open carry of these weapons intended for military use.  At one point semi-automatic assault rifles, oversized ammunition magazines, armor piercing bullets, etc., were illegal. They were considered military weapons intended for use by trained personnel in combat situations.

Please demand that our federal and state legislative bodies fix this appalling situation by making possession of high powered weapons available only to the armed forces or other authorized protective organizations we have in place, and not so handy that ordinary law-abiding citizens trying to go about their daily lives must live in fear of the next attack.

It’s time to stop breaking our own records in America for the numbers of victims recorded in these mass shootings.  Let’s turn senseless into sensible — now.

Part of the majority on this issue.

Cynthia Miller

Benton Harbor