Speaking of “red flags,” an 18-year-old comes in to buy an assault weapon and a pistol, and I’m sure he didn’t look like the valedictorian of his class.

The clerk could have asked the phone number of his parents or the name of his Sunday School teacher. If he answered suspiciously, hand him a long form to be filled out and brought back the next day for approval.

It sounds corny, but I remember J. Edgar Hoover, “Mr. FBI” of by-gone years, saying that if parents would keep their kids in Sunday School, crime would be greatly reduced. (Sunday School workers are the largest number of volunteer workers – more than any other charitable, political or whatever group.)

Doing the above, the 19 students and two teachers in Texas would still be alive and this horrible tragedy could have been avoided. The government ban on assault weapons had not yet been renewed by Congress. They are probably too busy with re-election plans. Their terms to be increased to four years, giving them more time to do their work.  Re-elect U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern.