Letter to the Editor

Revive federal assault weapons ban

Who has more mental problems – the perpetrators of gun violence or congressional Republicans, including our own Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who lacks normal compassion and regard for human life, even of young children?

Congressional Republicans have once again copped out of their responsibility to do anything significant to stop mass killings by effectively acting only on mental illness measures. At the least, their social-emotional development has been severely stunted.

Using the Second Amendment of the Constitution as their crutch, they ignore its original intent: to make certain southern colonies would join the union by assuring white militias for squelching slave mutiny. By their “well-regulated militia,” the founders undoubtedly didn’t envision the out-of-control proliferation of expert killing machines that indiscriminately eliminate its own people.

Whatever the mental health of the perpetrator, using an “assault weapon” or high-capacity magazine increases the number of people killed.

The Federal Assault Weapons Ban of 1994-2004 should be revived, at a minimum. Opposing that indicates a mentally unhealthy lack of compassion and regard for the sanctity of human life.

Yes, guns do kill people. Our extreme availability of guns make it the easiest method of killing people, guaranteeing the greatest finality. Contrast this with murder and mass killing rates in countries with stricter gun control laws.

For example, recently the Japanese people were shocked that someone (former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe) could be killed by a gun; not surprisingly, it was self-made rather than purchased.

Norm Luther

–Spokane