Trending
Despite what the NRA says, guns do kill people
To the editor:
The big difference between being killed by a motor vehicle and being killed by a gun is that most motor vehicle deaths are accidental when someone is killed by a gun it is deliberate murder.
I am not advocating to get rid of all guns. I am hopeful that we could get rid of all assault weapons. These weapons are meant only to kill people.
Mental illness is obviously a reason for gun violence. No law that can be passed will not be able to identify all the mentally ill people in this country. This being a fact, we must control guns. What about temporary insanity, it could happen to anyone. Maybe me or you.
The Second Amendment provided for the right to bear arms (muskets). The reasons were for protection from Native Americans and hunting. We didn't have a standing army so each state had its own militia.
Amendments are subject to change. The first change I would make to the Second Amendment is the elimination of all assault weapons. Assault weapons are only meant for one thing, to kill people.
You can use any of your NRA provided reasons why guns do not kill. The fact remains that they do kill. There are thousands of dead people to testify to this fact.
I am 85 years old. I don't expect to live long enough to see the day when children can go to school without fear of being shot. I know what that fear is like. I taught school and one of my students threatened to shoot me a number of times.
Laying all politics aside, let's work to craft a gun law that will ease the minds of all people.
Jim Hess
Port Royal