Letter: Why does gun safety have to breed paranoia

I get frightened quite frequently when I read this page and am reminded that I don't have that very popular trait of paranoia so common among the National Rifle Association supporters. I find it difficult to believe that I can't understand that my liberties are being eradicated because there are those who want to do something to control the wanton use of hand guns.

And if I owned a handgun, why wouldn't it be wise of me to put a trigger guard on it, especially if children might have access to it?

How have I lived so long without that ultimate weapon at my side? And who is going to teach me how to defend myself and my family with a handgun from those massive government forces who are coming to deprive me of my liberties? I wasn't taught how during five years in the Air Corps, where I spent six months in armament school and two years as a gunnery instructor.

What a strange dichotomy that the "anti-American, liberal subversives" in the "left wing" media are, generally, in favor of protecting other liberties such as the right of women to have control of their own bodies.

I love it when supposedly intelligent people call the media, and others, un-American subversives when they have different opinions. With that attitude we can all be called subversives because no one agrees on everything.

Incidentally, I just spent four hours over the weekend shooting trap with my 50-year-old 12-gauge shotgun that no one is trying to deprive me of, and which, under most circumstances, would be far more protection than a handgun.

Ted Maddox

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