Readers React: ‘Active shooter’ drills at school normalize fear

To the editor: When does fear become cowardice and preparedness become failure of character? (“Active shooter drills normalize atrocities,” Opinion, Dec. 8)

Reading the description in Lisa Lewis’ Op-Ed article of the “active shooter” drills at a Redlands school, I was powerfully reminded of being a child in the 1950s when class was frequently interrupted with air raid drills. These drills kept the threat of nuclear annihilation in the forefront of our minds.

For adults, too often this very real threat translated into susceptibility to demagoguery. Abetted by a cowardly Congress, we suffered the national disgrace of McCarthyism.

All responsible political leaders must keep this in mind and all media outlets must remind the public of this shameful chapter in our history lest we repeat it.

Elizabeth Rumelt, Santa Barbara

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