LETTER: Writer shows confusion about guns

To the Telegram:

I read Peter Johnson’s letter and saw an inaccurate statement and some things that are just plain wrong.

He claims the term “assault weapon” was created by the NRA.

This is not true.

The term was coined by an anti-gun activist to foster confusion among the public.

Johnson’s letter shows that it’s working.

He also suggests we should more carefully restrict semi-automatics. This is too broad a term, as most handguns are semi-auto, as are some .22 rifles, such as the Ruger 10/22.

The restriction of clips as Johnson calls them —actually, sir, the correct term is magazine — proved to be useless during the 1994 Assault Weapons ban.

Expecting criminals to follow the same rules as law-abiding citizens has proven time and again to be wrongheaded and dangerous.

All that restricting magazines to 10 rounds will do is cause people who are intent on causing harm is to carry more magazines.

The FBI’s own study proved the 1994 ban did absolutely nothing in reducing crime using these weapons. Why do we think reinstating it will do something now?

The correct thing to do is to enforce the laws already on the books. More laws are not the answer.

Zach Vrooman,

Superior

Tags: opinion, letters