Gun politics

It was odd that my mother advised me not to buy property in Allegheny County when I retired from the U.S. Air Force. At first, she said it was due to the higher taxes, but later made many comments about the political environment.

Recently, I learned that the sheriff’s department had closed the office issuing concealedcarry permits and was forced to reopen or provide other methods to issue the permits. This is after the mayor’s office spent a lot of the taxpayers’ money fighting against the state laws by banning what he called “assault rifles,” which is a made-up term used to do nothing but incite panic, and the banning of large-capacity magazines.

I recently picked up a copy of the Butler Eagle and on the last page of the first section was a three-quarters page article about gun safety and proper ownership along with the responsibilities of ownership. This was an article of a state police officer’s company that teaches these responsibilities and about training that is available for a first-time gun owner.

The Butler County’s sheriff department has promoted the concealed-carry permit, along with the responsibility of gun ownership for many years. It has made it very easy to get a concealed-carry permit for anybody who is legally able to possess one, as per state law of “shall issue.”

I and many I know who conceal carry are responsible citizens of this country and object to even the thought of so-called gun registry to supposedly stop gun violence. The statistics prove that more deaths occur from automobile accidents and, surprisingly, hands and feet, than guns.

Allegheny County, stop trying to infringe on our Second Amendment rights. Go after criminals and not the everyday law-abiding citizen.

And I’m glad I listened to my mother. She had more common sense than most of the Allegheny County political system. DAVID R. SMYTH

Cranberry