Have we had enough yet? How many more school kids have to be shot and killed before American citizens decide to face the truth about our place in these times?

Members of the community gather at the City of Uvalde Town Square in Texas for a prayer vigil in the wake of a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School on May 24, According to reports, 19 students and 2 adults were killed before the gunman was fatally shot by law enforcement. (Photo by Jordan Vonderhaar/Getty Images) *** BESTPIX *** ** OUTS - ELSENT, FPG, CM - OUTS * NM, PH, VA if sourced by CT, LA or MoD ** (Jordan Vonderhaar / Getty Images)

How much longer will we sit through videos of SWAT teams swarming across playgrounds and weaving between school buses to approach the scene of a slaughter of innocents?

What is this demon that makes the love of guns and shooting more precious than the lives of kids — or anyone of any age?

I used to enjoy target shooting, but no longer.

The lamest argument is that guns are for our protection. How safe can we feel when the nightly news tells us that ordinary, everyday people in grocery stores are being slaughtered by nut cases in camo and body armor?

How can we claim any sense of security when teenagers are walking into schools or just down the middle of neighborhood streets popping off more lethal rounds than a SEAL team assault on a terrorist stronghold?

I’m not buying the argument that the Constitution preserves our national integrity by ensuring a citizens’ right to bear arms and maintain a militia. There are more guns in the hands of civilians with no thought of being part of a defense of the country than patriots.

There are more wannabe weekend soldiers who never served a day in a military uniform than there are real defenders of any American town; more armed thugs terrorizing their neighbors with drive-by shootings and gang-related wars than guardians of peace and community safety. More abusing the rights of others than protecting anything.

There are more hucksters raking in money indiscriminately selling the toys of destruction than there are contributors to the greater good of any town, county or state. More self-serving politicians protecting their gun-loving supporters than looking out for grandmothers, women with children, those who need protection and freedom from fear.

I for one have had enough of the words of caring, thoughts and prayers, following every tragedy involving violence. Where is the action, the resolve, to take action against criminal neglect masquerading as personal freedom?

When do we demand an end to the nightmare of carnage?

It is far past the time to reject the illogical allegation that the right to bear arms includes ownership of weapons of mass destruction. You don’t need a weapon of war for your personal protection.

Hunting, sport? That’s not why people buy military-grade rifles, magazines and ammunition. They just get their jollies blowing things up.

While shooters enjoy the cheap thrill of power they get firing guns that could shred a deer — or a human — parents and all the rest of us are expected to shrug and get over the sense that our child, our teacher spouse, or any family member who ventures out that day might not come home. Anyone can come into the sights of some off-center mind that can’t resist moving from video game targets to real people

The kind of Americans most of us would like to think we are would not put up with this. They would speak out for the rights to hunt, shoot for sport, but stand against the abuse of those rights. They would demand responsibility equal to rights, accountability for commercial and political actions pertaining to gun ownership, law and order. Placing limits on the types of weapons available to the public is just common sense, not an assault on freedom.

We would replace false and self-centered patriotic rhetoric with actions that demonstrate our ideals, love of country and fellow citizens by ensuring that a kid can go to school, a grandmother can shop for groceries, and any person can just walk down the street without fear of being shot to death in random insanity.

Had enough of this nightmare? Then wake up and give the politicians a shake to bring them back to reality.

Dean Minnich writes from Westminster.