Columnist confused on types of guns available
WHEN I READ Eugene Robinson’s column, “Voters have the power to reduce gun violence” (Nov. 8), I had to wonder how naive he thinks the average U.S. citizen really is. His last paragraph was the most offensive in that he believes there are people we can elect that possess clairvoyance to stop these horrible sick people from killing and that the “blood of innocents is on our hands.” Really? I just checked and my hands and have no trace of the blood (Robinson) mentioned.
His article states, with certainty, that “a gun made for warfare, a weapon that has no business in civilian hands” was the tool used to slay 26 innocent souls. The AR-566 used was not designed for warfare so stop trying to scare the uninformed into thinking military rifles are alive and well in the hands of civilians, but I’ll get to that in a minute. If the AR-566 used in this inhumane act of violence was issued to one of our military personnel to fight in combat they would wonder if it was April 1st.
Let’s be perfectly clear, the “AR” never stood for Assault Rifle but rather they are the initials for the manufacturer, ArmaLite rifle. But what Eugene doesn’t seem to realize is that all guns can be assault weapons. The term “assault rifle” was adopted by the left to persuade people into thinking that any gun label that started with “AR” was made exclusively for the killing of other people. He also ignorantly stated that “an arsenal of weapons of war” can be easier obtained than getting a driver’s license or registering to vote. OK, I dare (Robinson) to go right out there and fetch an M-16, bazooka or grenade launcher or whatever “weapons of war” (he chooses) and report to us how easy it was. The fact is he can’t, at least not with the ease he claims it can be done by some hillbilly named Cooter living in a shack in the woods . ...
Later, he again displays his ignorance by stating “It goes without saying that there should be universal background checks for purchasing firearms.” (He should) go to a Bass Pro Shop or Cabela’s and purchase a gun — but don’t mention you want an M-16 ... and say (he) would like to buy a 1911 (Colt 45 pistol) and try to bypass the background check, which, by the way, is not only universal but mandatory as well.
His whole column is saturated with the mind-numbing belief that we can stop these senseless shootings by legislating them out of existence. The fact is we can’t. Period. What he fails to address or even mention is the mental illness behind the majority of all these killings. It is the people, not the tool, that need to be dealt with. Eugene thinks we need more laws to stop these acts of violence . ... Last time I checked it was illegal to murder someone. We have over 20,000 gun laws in the books . ... If the laws we already have would have been enforced as they were designed, we might have never known that a Sutherland Springs, Texas, even existed. (If Robinson is) looking for blood, (he should look) on the hands of the people who failed to follow the laws that would have prevented Devin Patrick Kelley from obtaining a gun in the first place. JIM APPLEGATE Rio Rancho