Lots of e-mail on today's column. Here's a sampling:

The article on the mass killings really spoke to me.  It is so unfortunate that it is so easy for us to accept what is happening to our country, our environment, our food supply, our lives and do nothing.  I feel like there should be hundreds of thousands of Americans demonstrating daily in Washington....but where are we?  Even so, I think there is a change coming.  I don't know how and I can't promise it will be easy, but it is inevitable.  We must never give up...or give in to the apathy that surrounds us. 

Amen. That is the best way I can thank you for putting into words the feelings that have been roiling around in me since Monday.  Thank you for giving me the words for my sadness.  I don’t usually buy the Sun, I live on the Eastern Shore.  I bought it for the story about the Harriet Tubman funding, I got an extra gift.  I too think of myself as an idealist, yet the crass second guessing and access to guns just boggles my mind.  As if anyone with a gun, as the gun lobby promotes, could have stopped him.  I just hosted young professionals from Ireland sponsored by Rotary including a policeman and an attorney.  They cannot comprehend our gun culture.  I don’t have a problem with goose/deer/etc. hunting, I’ve seen what happens to the environment when they are protected, yet, why is it so easy to buy a gun to hurt our brothers and sisters?  As you noted, it’s almost too late.  There is no more shock, it will happen again and again – bigger than the last.  And why are we shocked at the loss of 32 Americans, but don’t care about the hundreds of Iraqis who die each day.  Today it was reported that yesterday was the deadliest day since we sent more troops into Baghdad as part of the surge.  It got less than a minute of airtime on most stations.  And all we get for the soldiers who gave their lives is a body count.  Those families hurt at least as much.

You've hit the nail on the head.  In every sense.  I'm not shocked either.  And on top of being saddened by the tragedy, I'm saddened that there aren't enough brave politicians in our midst to do something about it.  Like you, I have to wonder if things will ever change.  Maybe when 100 people die in the next massacre.       Maybe not.

I just finished reading your article in the Baltimore Sun regarding the Virginia Tech killings. My co-worker brought the article over to my desk and said read it, then tell me what you think. I told her it was as if you were in on our conversations. We have said exactly the same thing we need to get rid of the guns. We are not just coming to this conclusion, but it seems like it’s not an issue unless it is election time or until a mass group of people are shot from a quiet area. Please don’t misunderstand me, I was devastated to hear the news on Monday. The victims and families are in my prayers, but so are the children that were shot a week or two ago in Baltimore. Again, I wanted to let you know that I read your article and you are not alone in these grim feelings. What can we do to get the guns off the streets?

You truly put to words my feelings. I was ashamed of not being "shocked" anymore. I am disgusted with the media coverage. They give the killer(s) so much air time these days,it is horrible. It will never get better until we as a country stand up and say enough is enough!! But big money and polictics will always reign, and things will be patched up, but never fixed. Anyway.. thanks for article, I  still feel bad, but know I am not alone.

You really hit a nerve. Especially with those old enough to have seen better, saner and happier days. Too bad for the person responsible for so many  thousands of killings in Iraq to address the bereaved at Virginia Tech.

Unfortunately, for America, your evaluation in today's (4/19) Sun paper is accurate. How can we express true optimism about the future to our children / grand children when this national plague of violence - fostered, primarily by HAND GUNS - is allowed to go unabated?!?! Use your "power of the pen" to engender and spread real outrage and reaction. One legislative "reaction" which might be considered and enacted to stem this virulent river, is an out-right all hand-guns abolishment in the public sector. This wouldn't necessarily negatively impact the "American Sportsman / Hunter" as he could still ply his hobby, with a RIFLE. Criminals and / or the criminally insane obviously cannot easily conceal a rifle in public among us, yet a hand gun, they can. The kids at Virginia Tech may have been alerted beforehand upon seeing a rifle and would have gotten out of harms way long before Cho cornered them. Legislation of this sort could have the potential to: 1. make our streets / society safer by not allowing perpetrators of crime the advantage of surprise, and with strong enough - real teeth legislation - anyone possessing a hand gun, outside their home might receive immediate / no questions asked incarceration thereby aiding law enforcement officials; 2. help to remove the stigma of the United States' being one of the most violent "civilized" countries in the world; 3. keep in-place the general intent of the 2nd Amendment for "hunters"; and, 4. most importantly, give our children / grand-children hope and renewed optimism while living in less fear. For everyone's sake, challenge Maryland's elected officials about this matter with your pen and see what their reaction to this crisis is. It would certainly seem to be "for the greater good" to ALL concerned!

The fact is there IS no way to legislate against this kind of atrocity. This  miscreant, along with all of the others intent on criminal activity, will get their weaponry. This culture has regressed. Blacksburg was just another chapter.  The real problem runs to the heart of the family structure (lack thereof)---a latch-key adolescent population demographic, left  to their own designs by parents who are more interested in keeping up with the Joneses than keeping up with their parental responsibilities. Enter the liberal media (Hollywood is its capital), abusive of free speech under the guise of preserving it, exposing (and desensitizing) all to all manner of violence. Are we really surprised at what happened at Va. Tech?  I believe it was Franklin who said: "We give you a republic, if you can keep it."

I too feel the same way. I wish I could have been more shocked and completely effected by the shooting.  I am saddened by this even but regretfully not shocked.  I just wanted to thank you for writing the article and allowed me to not feel alone in my views.