In response to the announcement that certain Republican legislators will hold town-hall meetings to listen to students’ voices about gun violence, I find their shedding of crocodile tears for victims of gun violence to be disingenuous. Instead of committing to take action to address the problems, they can only commit to giving students a “forum to be heard” and to launch yet another study. That way, they can say they were responsive to students’ concerns by “listening” to them, after which they will, as always, do absolutely nothing of any substance and protect their flanks from the gun lobby.

Rep. Susan Pulsipher’s proposal to commission a study of the gun-violence problem is a politically motivated diversion. The house is on fire, and she wants to commission a study of fire-prevention methods. The Legislature knows several measures that can be taken now that would substantially reduce student risk from gun violence: ban assault weapons, large magazines, anti-personnel ammunition and accessories (bump-stocks, e.g.); adopt universal background checks; require a waiting period for firearms purchases.

What’s to study here? There is a major problem; we know how to solve a significant part of the problem now. Do something more than “listen” and “study.”

Gary G. Sackett, Millcreek