I am almost 77 years old.  I have been a lawyer for over 50 years. I have been a prosecutor, a defender and a law writer. Today I am trying to make any sense of the Wednesday mass killing of students in Florida.

In all my education over all these years, we have read, heard and had sung to us the phrase, “Freedom isn’t free.” I believe that.

Our country has spent many thousands of lives to protect our freedom. We have sent soldiers to die in battle to preserve and protect freedom. The price is very high. The price is paid even after the dissent is heard often.

Over 200 years ago we wrote in words what freedoms were worth fighting for and dying for. Our Constitution enshrines these ideals and concepts.

Now, after all the carnage of children in schools everywhere, we still hear the claim that Constitutional Amendment No. 2 is so very important, even more important than the lives of innocent children, and we should, therefore, accept that we cannot have any type of reasonable gun laws.

I cannot agree with that concept. I believe that the killings Wednesday and over the past years of hundreds of innocent children is too great a price to pay. Sure, freedom isn’t free, but, it also isn’t worth the killing of innocent children.

Contact lawmakers in Washington, D.C., to say that we can no longer pay this horrible price for Amendment 2. Make and enforce reasonable gun laws!

Bob A. Goldman

Albert Lea