James Camilli applauded the students for their efforts, but thinks teacher should encourage their student to “think outside the box.”
Editor’s note: This letter to the editor was submitted to The Sun by Cherry Hill resident James Camilli.
I applaud students of the Rosa International Middle School for their support of the Second Amendment (as reported by The Sun). However, I also think teachers should encourage students to “think outside the box” on the whole subject of gun violence. Is crime and violence really about guns? Let me put it another way; did guns and cannons cause the Civil War? The answer, of course, is no. So we must look elsewhere for answers.
I’ve been a Cherry Hill resident for many years and a socialist for almost as long. Socialists have been telling Americans since the days of the Amana Colony (a German immigrant group that practiced Christian Socialism) that what is needed in the U.S. is more emphasis on equality and social welfare. Unfortunately, America hasn’t listened. Instead, we have become more and more of a competitive rat race, with the inevitable resulting social chaos in mayhem.
Actor Lorne Green of the popular “Bonanza” TV series performed a song back in the 1960s called “I’m a Gun.” It tells the story of a gun, from its “birth” on a factory floor to its use in an active killing. The story is told by the gun itself. This song has been largely forgotten today, but I urge readers to give it a listen on YouTube. It contains a strong anti-violence message relevant to our time today.
James Camilli
