Response to Manchester sounds familiar

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It’s become a predictable response to an unfortunate event.

A terrorist attack happens and the call for concealed carry permits from public officials increases.

The awful bombing during the Ariana Grande concert, in Manchester, England, that killed twenty-two people and injured fifty-nine, was no different.

Washington state Rep. Matt Shea, R-Spokane Valley, posted on Facebook using the hashtag #GunControlKills.

“Remember those that laughed and ridiculed the idea of having concealed carry in our stadiums and convention centers (even though it is already state law)? They said already vetted and background checked individuals should be disarmed at our most likely targets of terrorism. Just one vigilant concealed carry person could have stopped last night’s attack in Great Britain. Just one,” he wrote on his Facebook wall. “I am saddened and angered by those who try to take away our ability to defend ourselves and our families, because ultimately our families pay the price…in blood.”

Local Rep. Liz Pike, R-Camas, shared the post adding, “I am right there with my friend and colleague Rep. Matthew Shea.”

There were similar calls when the attacks in Paris took place, including from high-profile lawmakers like Newt Gingrich and President Trump.

Some have decried the response as opportunistic in the face of a tragedy. Others point to a lack of evidence. Or one man on Shea’s Facebook post, asked, “What good is a handgun when it’s a suicide bomb? If you were there and armed, could you have realistically stopped a person you hadn’t noticed, from pushing a button you never would see?”

No matter the side of the spectrum you fall on with gun safety. Here’s hoping that as the memory of this terrorist attack fades for some, politicians are able to find a unifying position that ultimately moves the country and the world closer to working together against a common threat.