Sparks, Nevada

Rappahannock Record
Kilmarnock, Virginia

Editor:

            Now it is Sparks, Nevada—another school shooting. A math teacher, who was a retired Marine and had served in Afghanistan, is dead, as is the young shooter. Two other students were wounded. This is the 16^th school shooting in the United States this year.  Once the facts are known about the young shooter in Sparks, there is a good chance that evidence of emotional instability or mental illness will surface.

            A key to fighting the epidemic of school shootings is detecting and getting help for those who are unstable and are a threat to themselves and others. That means greater spending and emphasis on mental health. Yet here in Virginia, the home of the Virginia Tech massacre (worse mass killing in this nation’s history), we now spend less on mental health than we did before the Tech tragedy. The policies of Governor McDonnell and Attorney General Cuccinelli, have weakened our mental health care system. Their policy of privatization of mental health care will result in a decline in the quality and amount of care, but it will enrich their supporters.

            State Delegate Margaret Ransone doesn’t want to discuss or listen to ideas on improving mental health care. She is running unopposed for re-election. When you vote, send Ransone a message that issue-avoidance—especially when it comes to the lives of children and their teachers—is not acceptable. Please check “other” and write in the name Albert Pollard.

David Cariens

Letter-To-The-Editor

Rappahannock Record

Kilmarnock, Virginia

Editor—

Margaret Ransone does not deserve to be reelected to the House of Delegates. She has been missing in action and incommunicative with her constituents. A case in point has been my research on school shootings here in Virginia. The safety of our schools should be nonpartisan—an issue that brings Republicans, Democrats and Tea Party members together. But unlike Senators Warner, then- Senator Webb and Congressman Rob Wittman, Margaret Ransone refuses to respond to the simplest inquiries on that topic. She cannot deny she didn’t receive the inquiries, I sent them certified mail and have the receipts.

Her silence speaks volumes about her indifference on this critical issue to all Virginians—the state is the site of two of the worst school shootings in this nation’s history. Her silence stands in marked contrast to her predecessor, Albert Pollard. I therefore am asking all voters who are concerned and interested in making our schools and colleges safer to write in Albert Pollard on November 5^th.

David Cariens

Kilmarnock, Va. 22482