By SABRINA GARRETT
The Wilson Post

The massacre that took place last Friday at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut has not swayed Tennessee State Representatives Susan Lynn and Mark Pody when it comes to gun control laws. Both described their views as being that of a “pro second amendment supporter.”

“It has definitely heightened awareness that our schools need to be protected,” Pody said. “We have good school board members and I’m sure all of our schools are protected.”

Lynn told The Wilson Post that apparently over the weekend there was a spike in gun permits filled out nationwide. “I truly believe that guns in society make society safer. It is extremely unfortunate what happened, but imagine if somebody had encountered him and had a gun. They could have been able to stop him,” Lynn said. “I think society sees what happened and becomes fearful that their gun or opportunity to own a gun will be taken away because of one disturbed individual.”

Lynn continued by explaining that a state legislator had proposed an armed school safety officer be placed in every school – or in those schools that cannot afford those officers, a teacher be designated and trained to be armed. “Certainly the community would have to be comfortable with that if they feel they would like to designate someone in school to protect the children. It is something that will be considered this year,” she said.

“We would have to think out policy and the training very, very well. If the school districts and the people in the community are not comfortable with that in their school district, they should not be forced to do it. It would need to be very studied and thought out.”

“A good friend of mine who works at the Wall Street Journal pointed out that we have seen these type of tragedies in gun-free zones where guns are not allowed,” Lynn noted before citing another shooting last week in Oregon where 22-year-old Jacob Tyler Roberts opened fire at the Clackamas Town Center Mall. “That guy only stopped shooting because somebody else (shopper Nick Meli) had a gun and pulled it out.”

Meli never fired the handgun, but just showing the weapon was enough to deter Robert’s rampage. Roberts later died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.