Do you know the true meaning of the 2nd Amendment?
Of course school shootings and “gun crimes” (committed by criminals or the mentally ill — not the gun) are horrendous. This letter in response to Ms. Lucas’ anti second amendment column is about the amendment itself. She and the other liberal writers that are published here and demand “common sense gun laws,” confiscation, universal background checks or just ignoring the second amendment, either don’t know or don’t want to know the meaning and importance of the amendment. Or worse, they know yet have no intellectual honesty on the subject.
At present there are more than 10,000 Federal, State, and local gun laws. Many are rarely enforced. Every week you can find a story of an arrest or conviction of a person with numerous previous convictions and gun-related cases that have been downgraded or dismissed in order to expedite the case. Why not prosecute to the fullest extent of the law? More gun laws won’t stop gangs, mass murders, or suicides. More laws won’t stop irresponsible adults from allowing children, felons, or the mentally ill access to guns.
Rifles are used in fewer than 2% of murders. The so-called assault rifle often blamed for the crime is nothing more than a semi-automatic firearm. Except for its “evil” or military appearance it is no different than rifles that have been in common use for more than 100 years. Time and again the Courts have ruled that Police have no duty to protect anyone. People have the right and duty to protect themselves and their family. The second amendment provides the means to do so.
Every year between half-a-million to well over 2 million avoid injury or death by having and very rarely having to fire a gun. Many more events go unreported so the number could be much more. Our right to keep and bear arms has nothing to with hunting or target shooting. The Declaration of Independence states “Our Government derives its power from the consent of the governed.” That “whenever any form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it.”
“It is their right, it is their duty to throw off such Government.”
These are not my words but the words of our Founding Fathers. More laws and restrictions will not be obeyed by criminals and the mentally ill. When they fail — and they will — to prevent more terrible crimes, then what? More laws that are only obeyed by law abiding gun owners? For decades, Americans have been conditioned by politicians, liberal media, opinion writers and others to fear guns. How many Americans are aware of the true meaning of the second amendment?
— L. Vinny Francese, Beaufort
Thanks for Larry Dandridge’s columns
I enjoy reading Larry Dandridge’s weekly articles in your paper on veterans’ benefits. Larry’s articles greatly simplify the complex VA systems, helping veterans and their families throughout the Lowcountry of S.C. and nationwide.
I am also impressed with your past and current series on Veterans Home Loans.
Thank you for all you do for us veterans and our families.
— Thomas J. Mundell, President and CEO, National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership, Mt. Pleasant
Another thanks for Larry Dandridge’s columns
Many Thanks for your fine newspaper’s “Military-Veterans section” by your columnist, Lt. Col. Larry Dandridge, USA-ret. His articles on veteran benefits have been interesting and very helpful to me and, I am sure, many other military members, active and retired, and their families here in the Carolina Lowcountry and beyond.
I think Larry goes the extra mile for all of us who wear and have worn the uniform. I believe this, because I emailed Larry this past week and he emailed me back and called me with the information I desired the same day. I call this Service with a big “S!”
The Island News and Larry Dandridge should be commended for their terrific support.
Thank you again.
— Angus Duncan Fordham, U.S. Army veteran
