After Friday, is there anyone in their right mind who doesn't think guns should be controlled? Another mass shooting, but this time 20 innocent children just learning "reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic" are dead, along with the teachers and other educators who cared for them. A school -- a place designed for learning, play and growth -- was turned into a bloodbath.

Don't give me that hogwash about Second Amendment rights. Our Founding Fathers certainly didn't mean any deranged person should be able to obtain assault rifles and ammo clips meant only for mass murder and use them at will.

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness outranks all the rest, especially for children.

How can we allow this to continue? A society that allows its children to be gunned down is immoral, and it is not free. The children who lived will be marked for life by this tragedy. Try telling parents who lost their children that their rights are protected by the National Rifle Association.

All lawmakers need to address this issue immediately, and all citizens should make sure they do -- yes, even in South Carolina, before we are burying our children, too.

Mourning and wringing of hands is necessary, but not enough.

Barbara Kelly

Bluffton