The time is now for gun control

Whereas: Our first precious declaration of nationhood affirmed our belief that all people are equal and have basic rights including the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and

Whereas: Our precious Constitution was established to further our national goals — to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.

Therefore: I hereby declare that no person or group, due to mistaken interpretation of the founders’ Second Amendment to the Constitution, has the right to deny the above stated rights and national goals to me and my posterity.

I support the rights of others to keep and bear arms within a well-regulated militia. To those ends, persons who would use weapons have choices of a well-regulated militia open to them — our branches of the national military and our National Guard.

I believe that those who believe they have a right to own and fire assault weapons, large clips of armorpiercing ammo, machine guns, bazookas, grenade throwers, anti-aircraft guns and flame throwers are victims of a false interpretation of our precious Bill of Rights.

I assert that no one has the right to deny me the right to my life, welfare and the domestic tranquility of peace.

To that end, I ask for the adoption of the following positions:

That a reasonable number of personal defense and hunting weapons may be owned, if legally obtained, including background checks and licenses as required.

That weapons must be securely locked within homes and not discharged outside the owner’s home.

That weapons must not be carried outside personal homes and never carried or used in any public places.

True gun control must start somewhere. Let it be here and let it be now.

The time is here for domestic tranquility. Cut out this letter, sign it and send it to all elected officials, including the Santa Fe City Council, the Santa Fe County Board of Commissioners, the governor of New Mexico, your senators, representatives and friends, even the Supreme Court. Bringing gun control could mean amending the state constitution, as well as passing state or local legislation. Never give up.

Beth Detwiler has been a resident of New Mexico for 35 years, and has retired from teaching and medical imaging. She is a former resident of La Puebla and resides in Santa Fe.