WilsonTimes.com - Gun control not the answer

Friday, January 25, 2013 11:29 PM

Gun control not the answer

In response to the letter to the editor written by Deborah Baro that appeared in the Friday edition of The Wilson Times, I would like to reflect on a letter to the editor that I wrote on the subject of gun control that was featured in the June 3, 2000 edition of The Wilson Times. I certainly believe that excerpts from this same letter are apropos for this point in time, and they deserve review again.

Ms. Baro is misled by the advocates of gun control legislation. Despite what Ms. Baro believes, the National Rifle Association is indeed protecting her and my Second Amendment rights. Does Ms. Baro sincerely believe that gun registration is going to make criminals rush in to get their guns legitimized? Do you want the government to take more control over your life by telling you that you can and can’t have a gun if you find it necessary to protect yourself or your family?

Gun control is not the answer, but prosecution and putting the criminals away for committing violent gun crimes is. If the statutes on the books were enforced now instead of writing new laws, we could keep the criminals off the streets who do use guns to rob and kill innocent citizens. Don’t punish me for being an honest, law-abiding gun owner. Instead, set an example by informing your elected officials to give the judges more power to hand down tougher sentences without parole and to stop the revolving door of the justice system. Please don’t make the NRA membership out to be the bad guys in this debate! We are not stupid people. We are not being unreasonable because we want to protect our rights.

If the Second Amendment is taken away from us by gun control liberals, it will be the beginning of the end of our great inspired Constitution. Most gun owners are responsible tax-paying, Constitution-loving, Second Amendment advocates that are sick of government intervention in every aspect of our lives. NRA members, in my opinion, are well-intentioned citizens who want to protect their rights. I would never support any candidate for office or any congressman or senator who supports gun control laws or tries to take my Second Amendment rights away from me.

Write your elected representatives in Washington and tell them that you do not support the destruction of the Second Amendment.

Jim J. Richardson

Wilson