American insanity

Re: Insanity in America, Letter to the editor, Nov. 11 The gun lobby’s familiar refrain: “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people,” is transparent sophistry. Only with an assault rifle could an “insane” mass shooter kill 26 people praying in a church in Texas. Only with an assault rifle, could another mass shooter slaughter 56 people attending a concert in Las Vegas.

In this context, it must be pointed out that when America’s 18th- century founding fathers enacted the Second Amendment enshrining citizens’ right to bear arms, they had 18th- century single- shot muskets, not 21stcentury assault rifles capable of firing 100 bullets in a minute, in mind. So, if the 18th century Second Amendment is to be interpreted literally, the Americans have the right to bear 18th- century muskets, not 21stcentury assault rifles. Otherwise, the Second Amendment should be amended to remove any right to bear arms. Ownership of gun is a privilege, not a right.

With “insane” Americans shooting fellow Americans, the gun lobby must be insane to oppose even the most simple gun- control measure to keep assault rifles out of the reach of people involved in domestic violence.

Mahmood Elahi, Ottawa