From the minds of babes

Like everyone in America, my three granddaughters in Atlanta were troubled by the
recent murders and mayhem created in Arizona by a crackpot using a Glock. So much
so, they wrote to their president seeking his leadership in this troubling violent
world they find fearsome. “I don’t think there should be guns. People would have
to figure out there [sic] problems without hurting each other,” Anabel wrote.

These aware children have genuine cares and fair questions. “I hope these violent
things stop. What can we do about this?” Cait earnestly asked her country’s leader.

Joanna inquired of her president, “If you have any good ideas, please write me back.”
She noted, “It’s not OK to shoot people,” along with reporting that she is sorry
about what happened to Gabrielle Giffords.

Kids think straight, until the world complicates their truths. I just saw the movie
about the stammering king of England, whose speech instructor told him that no child
stammers or stutters before he or she is 4 years old. It is caused by some non-physical
problem — learned, in other words.

Kids don’t have racial or religious prejudices until the adult world teaches them,
to make a comparable point.

So I hope the president will write to these three sensitive and wise young girls,
and explain why he, as the leader of the free world, capitulates to the gun lobby
about reasonable gun controls, as do all politicians who know better.

Maybe we need to lower the age required for our political leaders to hold office.
Kids see the obvious, think straight and have sensible solutions to many social
problems. We need to listen to these straight-thinking, budding pundits more often.