An Appeal to Reason Redux…

Dear Editor,

Most proposed gun control laws would not address the concerns in the Deutchmans’ letter of last week. State and federal background checks of firearms purchasers are done by liscensed gun dealers, but we should require checks of private purchasers, and better address the missing mental/criminal records not currently available to such checks.

“Assault-type weapons” is such an all encompassing term as to be usless, and irrelevant.  DOJ statistics show “assault-type weapons” comprise less than 1% of criminal assaults in the US every year.  Many definitions address only cosmetic features, almost all hunting rifles are much more deadly. Magazine capacity limits are easily circumvented with a little practice.

The US does indeed have a violence problem, but it’s not a gun problem. Violence is multi-caused, including income inequality, racism, lack of pre/post natal child care, lack of health care, education and employment opportunities for our poorest citizens. Religious/cultural ideologies of cults, Christianity included, cause much mayhem and violence. US War “Defense” dollars would be much better spent on truely universal, worldwide,  health and education, as well as saving the lives of our soldiers.

The Donald Trumps and left/right wingers expose the darker beliefs of too many of our citizens.

People don’t need guns to suppress others freedoms, or impose their own ideology. My guns, including “assault-types”, have never threatened anyone. A gun once saved my life, and I hope that need never again arises.  Most gun control laws would have let me be killed.

Chris Mielke
USMC 1974-8
Sagle, ID