I am writing in response to the Oct. 9 editorial, “A common sense measure.” The author seems to have whipped up a solution to the ever-growing problem of gun violence within this country following the fatal shooting at a Minneapolis workplace. I do agree with the author when he or she states that “gun violence is unlikely to be solved by one or even a series of laws.” However, a voucher system, such as the one adopted in Canada, should not be the first step taken. When broken down, having two individuals vouch for a person when purchasing a gun has major flaws. First of all, what’s to stop a criminal from paying someone to vouch for them at a gun retailer? Second, if the gun is to be used for illegal activities, chances are the person buying the gun will obtain it illegally, avoiding registration altogether.

So, after some much-needed thought, it seems this “common sense” solution isn’t so simple after all. Personally, I believe we need to take a serious look at who is using the weapons. True, we can start with gun bans, but the real concern should be the shooters themselves. In many of these recent cases, the gunmen have had unresolved mental health issues, which leads me to believe that people aren’t getting the help they need. Maybe we should take a step back and evaluate our social and mental health institutions before talking about voucher plans.