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Tim Epperson: Armed civilian guard appalling

Joshua B. Van Natter stands outside a military recruiting center in Logan, Utah. Gun-toting citizens are showing up at military recruiting centers around the country, saying they plan to protect recruiters following last week's killing of four Marines and a sailor in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Joshua B. Van Natter stands outside a military recruiting center in Logan, Utah. Gun-toting citizens are showing up at military recruiting centers around the country, saying they plan to protect recruiters following last week's killing of four Marines and a sailor in Chattanooga, Tenn. Eli Lucero AP

Regarding the July 23 news article “Serviceman died diverting gunman”: I was startled and amazed at the picture of the young man in a T-shirt holding a military-like assault rifle standing guard outside a Marine recruitment center.

Cannot the Marines post their own guards without having to rely on untrained, “gung-ho” wannabes? Or is it now OK to go about as self-declared guards of a wing of our military that (if) it felt the need for a guard, surely it would be able to post a trained and properly equipped professional – flak jacket, boots, helmet, uniform et al.

Are we as a society willing tolerate just any civilian yahoo wishing to display his “readiness for action” on any city street for whatever reason?

Tim Epperson

Chapel Hill

This story was originally published July 23, 2015 at 5:12 PM with the headline "Tim Epperson: Armed civilian guard appalling."

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