Last Monday night, as I sat in stunned silence watching a football player being carted off the playing field, I was struck by the silence in the stands. All of the newscasters, even Rachel Maddow, broke with the latest on Damar Hamlin’s condition. One football writer said, “We have become desensitized to the game’s inherent violence”!

A little over 10 years ago, six of our best and brightest teachers, and 20 of our babies, were slaughtered in what we thought was a safe environment: a school. There are over 600 shootings a year in this country in which at least four people, not including the person wielding the gun, are shot. I do not want to downplay the young man’s injury, but the football players of today are modern-day gladiators in a brutal sport that we all pay to see. The NFL canceled the game and gets a do-over.

There is no do-over for the people of Sandy Hook and the mass shooting victims! The NFL has tried to at least protect their players with extra padding and safer head gear.

What have the National Rifle Association Washington lobbyists and our elected officials done to protect us from assault weapons?

We hear it time and time again: “Our thoughts and prayers are with you.” I think the people of Sandy Hook and mass shooting victims deserve more!

Edward Sullivan
Windham