Editor’s note: The following is an opinion submitted in response to an earlier opinion written by Dr. Len Kirschner entitled: Kirschner: 'Repeal the Second Amendment,’ which was published online May 26 and appeared in the June print edition of our monthly paper.
Dear Editor,
I would like to contradict Dr. Kirschner's remarks in his June 2022 letter asking for the repeal of the 2nd Amendment. I do agree with Dr. Kirschner that mass shootings are especially horrible events that affect the psyche of every American. The outrage is universal, and the natural response is to try to make changes that will stop this from ever happening again. Abolishing the 2nd Amendment is not the correct answer.
I would like to speak about issues that 2nd Amendment abolishers do not consider. According to the 2021 National Firearms Survey directed by William English of Georgetown University, “guns are used defensively by civilian firearms owners in approximately 1.67 million incidents per year in the U.S.” The vast majority without a shot being fired. According to the National Crime Victimization Survey, in 2020 there were approximately 350,458 – 400,000 criminal uses of guns in the U.S. As you can see there is a large disparity of criminal uses vs legal defensive use of firearms.
Let’s address some of the issues facing citizens today. A justice system that seems to be letting more and more criminals get away with violent crimes. Untreated mental health issues, drug use, including the high potency of marijuana our young people are using now. See Stanford University professor Keith Humphreys' research on high potency THC levels and how it can lead to psychotic breaks, anxiety, and extremely aggressive behavior. Look at the last five mass shooters (including Uvalde, Buffalo and Parkland) cannabis use and tell me there is no possibility that high potency THC cannabis contributed to those events. All were long-time heavy marijuana users. This issue is much more complicated than taking guns away from law-abiding citizens.
Leaving our children at schools that have not been physically hardened or secured with armed School Resources Officers or even well-trained armed teachers is unconscionable. Criminals are going to select the most vulnerable or unsuspecting citizens to victimize. They are cowards, if they weren’t, they would try to shoot up police stations. People set on mass shootings will identify gun-free zones because they know they will most likely provide the largest kill count. The fact is, people with extremely violent intentions that feel like they have nothing to lose will find a way to inflict violence on others, guns, or no guns.
A gun is an inanimate object, it will not move or fire on its own. I have yet to come home from work or wake up in the middle of the night and wonder if my guns were out running around the neighborhood shooting at people. My legally owned guns have not killed a single person, they have not shot at anyone nor committed any crimes. It is not the gun's fault these killings occurred, it is the human’s fault.
I will end with this. If your awakened in the middle of the night, or are at the mall, the grocery store, or in your car and you meet someone intent on hurting or killing you and your family, even if you are able to call 911 you still have between three to 15 minutes before armed police arrive. What would you rather have for self-defense, a kitchen utensil, only your words, or a gun?
