I believe in the constitutional right of citizens to keep and bear arms for self-defense — the protection of life and property. I believe in the right of a person to hunt and harvest a natural resource for food. But, [as Jon Meacham said in his article] high-powered, high-capacity, high-tech weapons are intended for military use, not for civilians interested in the defense of life and property or hunting. A civilian model of a weapon designed for military use is still a military weapon.
Not allowing people access to weapons capable of mass destruction does not impede the right to self-defense or to hunt. Instead, prohibiting access to such weapons protects life and property. Ask the dead and wounded at the movie theater in Colorado if they agree. It’s true that guns do not kill people. People kill people. It’s also impossible to predict and eliminate incidents such as the one in Colorado. However, imagine the outcome if the shooter did not have such high-powered weapons.
Richard Moore, Chattanooga, TN