<div class="byline"></div> <em>In response to the article, </em>“<em><a href="https://www.palopintopress.com/2023/05/09/in-surprise-move-days-after-allen-mall-shooting-texas-house-panel-oks-bill-raising-age-to-buy-semi-automatic-rifles/">In surprise move days after Allen mall shooting, Texas House panel OKs bill raising age to buy semi-automatic rifles</a>,” published May 9, 2023. </em> I feel for the victims and families of these horrific shootings. I also agree something needs to be done to prevent shootings like this in the future. We definitely have a mental health problem as no one can argue that these shooters are mentally unstable. This shooter had been discharged from the military with mental problems which should have raised a red flag when he purchased a weapon. We have background checks in place but I’ve heard there isn’t always information sharing between different agencies which create gaps in information that could disqualify a person from purchasing a firearm. We need more cooperation between these agencies. As for raising the age to 21, I have mixed emotions. We can draft a person at 18 and send them off to war to fight and possibly die in battle yet they are to young to purchase a semi auto rifle for hunting. Yes we could possibly exempt those that are serving or honorably discharged from the military but is that really fair to those that don’t go to the military? I don’t know what the answer is other than we all get back to worshiping god and bringing families closer together. Rufus Smith Mineral Wells
