Self protection is our right

Dear Editor:

It's so troubling when a progressive speaks up against gun ownership. With a broad sweep of the broom, Terry Ahner would take away the right to own guns. That would include the avid hunter, both small and large game, those who believe in self-defense.

Never mind the fact that most gun owners are honest law abiding people who enjoy the right to own a gun; never mind the fact that most gun owners have undergone safety courses and seminars on carrying and protecting their guns; never mind the fact that our Constitution guarantees the right to own guns; and never mind the fact that history shows us what happens when a government disarms it's citizenry. Think Germany, in the last century as just one example.

Without doing the research, I'm sure more people die each year by auto accidents then by the discharging of a firearm. Perhaps, we should prohibit automobiles? And I'm sure many of those deaths by automobiles are caused by drugs and alcohol. The progressive wants to legalize drugs, yet make gun ownership illegal. How sensible is that?

In the same February 8th section where Ahner wrote his commentary, Donald Serfass writes about the tragic story of the slaying of his niece. What was significant about the Serfass article, aside from the grief this family is working through, was the in-depth commentary on evil. Never have I seen the subject covered so well in a brief article. Evil is present today, just as it has been down through history. As Serfass stated in his commentary, "man's inhumanity to his fellow man has been around since the beginning of time." Evil is here whether we want to accept that Biblical term or not. We are all so sorry for the grief this family must carry, not because of a gun, but because of evil.

I was watching the Olympians who were competing in the biathlon. It was amazing, all the entries, both men and women from all the different countries where shooting at targets, not at each other. The point being, good people with guns don't shoot each other. Bad people get their guns illegally through the black market, on the street and they do shoot each other. Good people obtain their guns legally and go through the process of an extensive state police check.

Perhaps Ahner should have touched on what the movie industry is doing in terms of fermenting evil. Young kids watching people shooting each other instead of shooting at targets. Perhaps Ahner should ask himself why our dysfunctional progressive government, both state and federal have closed the mental hospitals and put these poor unfortunate souls out on the street where illegal drugs and guns are available.

The downward spiral to evil starts with the little stuff. History has proved that time after time and the Bible makes it very clear. We do live in a society where evil exists. We see it daily in our newspapers. Our police departments and law system are over burdened because of it. But the progressive would have the good citizenry of our country disarm? I think not. Self protection is our right!

Psalm 119:1 "Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of our LORD.

T.J. McLean

Jim Thorpe