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Existing Safeguards Failed in Parkland

High school students demanding that Congress enact laws to protect them against mass murder may want to reconsider. Instead of seeking new legislation, they may want to demand that existing safeguards be used, not ignored.

Since Feb. 14, when Nikolas Cruz massacred 17 people in a Parkland, Fla., high school, few days have passed without new revelations concerning him. Most people probably have lost track of the number of different times Cruz could have been stopped, but was not.

Now, it has been revealed that in September 2016, school officials and a sheriff’s deputy recommended that Cruz be committed involuntarily to a mental institution, for evaluation. His emotional state was so serious there were fears he might harm himself and/or others.

Had he been committed, it would have been difficult or impossible for him to buy a gun legally.

But no one pursued the matter, or numerous other opportunities to have prevented Cruz from going on a killing spree.

One cannot blame the young people for wanting the government to do something more to keep them safe. But new laws, no matter how severe, will do no good if they are not enforced.

Why, given the many failures that cleared the way for Cruz to kill in Parkland, should anyone have any faith in government at any level?

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