Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Letter to the editor:

Recast the gun control debate

I support the right to own a gun — sportsmen or collector. The Second Amendment refers to “arms,” not guns, rifles, knives, bows and arrows, spears, etc. Just “arms.”

We need to change the discussion from gun control to arms control. We already have federal and state laws addressing arms control. That’s why certain weapons, like fully automatic rifles and more destructive weapons like M-79s and others, are far more tightly controlled.

Many argue that restricting the right to own assault weapons wouldn’t keep them out of the hands of criminals. The problem with this argument is that every criminal was viewed as law-abiding until they committed a crime. People aren’t born criminals, but something happens that makes them snap, get angry, seek revenge, etc.

Sensible arms control must be considered, and it doesn’t require sacrificing our Second Amendment right.