It wasn’t long ago that I could read an article published by the Onion and laugh heartily. These days, I’m just horrified that so many pieces come off as comedy until I realize they’ve been written in all seriousness. How Michelle Darnell’s recent letter “Don’t ban guns, ban government schools” isn’t a parody piece is beyond me.

Without researching the truthfulness of its assertion that “… all the school shooters in recent history … attended public schools,” I’m going to point out the obvious fact that most recipients of a public education do not become deranged lunatics who kill.

In fact, Steve Jobs, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffet, Jeff Bezos, Google co-founder Larry Page, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki and Michael Bloomberg all attended public schools. All successful, each has contributed greatly to our society, and none are killers.

Many of us may not remember the name Robert Chambers, but his nickname, the Preppie Killer – because he attended prep schools all his life – brings back the memory of the kid who plead guilty to murdering his girlfriend in 1988.

I’m still not convinced Ms. Darnell’s letter wasn’t written in parody. Perhaps I’ll forward it to the Onion.

Michelle Straka,

North Bend