Opinion: A future free of hate

Another senseless tragedy occurred over the weekend, this time a mass shooting in Orlando, Fla., killing 49 people.

Our hearts go out to the victims and their families.

It’s not the first time that a mass shooting has happened in America, and we find it difficult to understand why our society continues to let it happen.

It is time for our national, state and local governments to look at ways to keep semi-automatic and automatic rifles out of the hands of civilians. There is no need for them in civilian life.

There is also a need for our leaders to promote an atmosphere of tolerance and respect for others. Since sometimes the people follow the top leadership, we especially would encourage the presidential candidates to pledge to show more respect for others.

We hope this generation can pass on to their children a future free of hate.