Joseph G. Gallagher Jr. in Stevensville, your letter (Star, 11-8-17) is not only ignorant, it’s an outright lie.
You state “The Second Amendment was conceived during the time when the only personal weapons that American citizens had were single shot muskets and pistols.” Wrong.
The Second Amendment was adopted on December 15, 1791. Prior to this date, there were already multiple firearms that shot more than your claimed “single shot muskets and pistols.”
‘Volley Guns’: around since the 1500s. ‘Belton Flintlock’: over 14 years prior to the 2nd Amendment. ‘Girandoni Air Rifle’: 12 years before the 2nd Amendment. There are more, but this proves my point and proves your lie.
You admit the very legislation you cry for “is not… going to stop people killing people with guns in this country” but you go on and attempt to justify your reason for legislation that is against the Constitution. I state again: against the Constitution.
I present to you some things that factually were NOT before the Constitution’s time and by your thought process should also “curtail people from killing mass numbers of people in a very short period of time”: internet, airplanes, and automobiles. Take away those things and killings will slow way down. After all, ‘the Founding Fathers could not have imagined such technology!’ is what people like you say.
I agree we have sick and deranged people around these days. Making more laws won’t stop them from doing what they’re going to do. We see how that works so effectively with drugs, right? Right? Right! IMO, better medical diagnosis and treatment facilities is needed, not forgetting Due Process of the Citizen before a Right is stripped away.
Anything can be used an “assault weapon.” Most recently we’re seeing vehicles and knives. You want to ignorantly and emotionally discriminate against black scary guns. I remind you of another “assault gun” attack: John Hinckley used a six shot .22 revolver and wounded four people in 1.7 seconds, killing one of them. That was, by the very action, an “assault weapon.” That theater shooter in Colorado used a shotgun. Again, by the very action, an assault weapon. McVeigh used Assault Fertilizer. The 9-11 hijackers used Assault Boxcutters. These terrorists with vehicles are clearly using “Assault Automobiles.”
I ask all reading this: why don’t people wanting to kill other people try killing in gun stores or cop shops? Clearly the answer is: those patrons shoot back. Stop unconstitutionally taking our right to bear arms and defend ourselves!
Mike Miller
Stevensville