LETTER: 2nd Amendment is about freedom

To the Telegram:

After reading George Richards letter, I would like to make some comments. “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

The 2nd Amendment is clear and precise, and the Supreme Court of the United States has affirmed that right.

Now, the 2nd Amendment is not about deer hunting as so many politicians like to tell everyone.

No, the right to bear arms is all about protecting one’s life and the lives of others. This means against a tyrannical government.

Our founding fathers were well aware of a tyrannical government in what King George III of England was doing to them including gun confiscation.

Now Mr. Richards, the guns Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., wants to ban — not one of them are automatic weapons. They are all semi-automatic so your comments about automatic rifles are wrong. You cannot buy a automatic weapon in this country unless you pay a $200 tax and be approved by the BATF. Any automatic weapons are guns that are grandfathered in. You cannot buy a new automatic weapon; it is not going to happen, not legally anyway.

Since Wisconsin has passed concealed carry there has been few if any problems. The so-called “Wild West” the antigun folks like to cry about never happened, nor has it happened in any of the other states that have concealed carry or right to carry.

Those Tea Party folks are making a statement carrying openly, reaffirming the right to bear arms, which is legal for them to do so and if you have noticed there has never been an unruly Tea Party gathering.

There are over 20,000 gun laws on the books now. Connecticut has some of the toughest gun laws in the nation yet it did not stop this latest school killing. Look at the mess Chicago has and again they have some of the toughest gun laws in the nation.

Passing more laws that infringe on the rights of lawful gun owners is not the answer.

Jim Harter,

Superior

Tags: opinion, letters