Simple solution made difficult

CNN reported sometime ago that two boys of 11 and 13 years old shot dead a female teacher and four girls of Westside Middle School and wounded 10 other students. The two youths stole their fathers' guns and took potshots from the surrounding wood of the school without any remorse.

Only when they are put in a jail for adults, will they cry for their parents. Naturally, the town citizens were horrified by the terrible incident that took place in their small town of 51,000 people.

According to the state law of Arkansas, USA, the 11-year-old boy is too young to be put in prison, but the 13 year might be sentenced to life or even death. Later, NBC invited three people, a film producer, a newspaperman and a female psychologist to comment on this horrible event that took place in Jonesboro on March 24. The film producer blamed the incident on the parents of the boys for being unable to control them. One of the fathers (the boys were cousins) even taught his son to shoot at the age of seven.

The newspaperman blamed the incident on TV programs which depict murder as an everyday occurrence.

The film producer naturally tried to defend his profession and the two people almost had an acrimonious debate. The psychologist tried to pacify them by giving educational suggestions.

I believe that the most thorough solution would be simply to ban the possession of firearms and sentence violators to death, just as in Asia. It is as simple as that and I do not see why Uncle Sam fails to see the wisdom of such a policy.

A. DJUANA

Jakarta