Editor, Manteca Bulletin

 I have read the letters to you regarding gun control.  First off let me say that I own a gun and do not want the government telling me that they are going to take it away.  However, that is not what the government is or has been saying.

 I think we have all heard the NRA’s famous line that “guns alone are no more responsible for killing people than pencils are for misspelling or writing vulgar words.”  I agree 100% with that statement as far as it goes, but the truth of the matter is that the consequences of misspelled or vulgar words are minimal while killing innocent people in large numbers is not.  Guns don’t kill people, people with guns kill people and do so in incredibly large numbers when using assault type weapons that have a high capability of great firepower.  Yes, knives and baseball bats and a myriad of other things can be used to kill or maim people, but the big difference is that it is much more difficult to do so in the large numbers than have occurred in recent years using military type assault weapons.  And please, don’t insult my/our intelligence by saying that they are legitimately for the sport of hunting.  We all, I think, know that assault type weapons, if used for hunting, would make a mockery of any definition of the word “sport.”

 I am in no way against persons owning a security shotgun, a pistol or a .22 rifle to protect themselves, their families or their homes.  I own a gun for that purpose.  When I was a kid my family owned a twelve gauge shotgun and a .22 rifle.  I was hunting with that rifle as early as twelve years of age.  However, I did have to take a gun safety course, pass a test and get a permit to do so.  I was happy to do that.  I have no problem with those who love and practice the sport of hunting.  It is not what I like to do, but I don’t want to prohibit others from doing so. 

 I would like to say that I was taken aback by the Bulletin photo of the guns that were being raffled off at the American Legion Steak and Oyster Dinner that showed what appeared to be an assault type weapon.  Had that one weapon not been included in the raffle I would have thought very little of it.  I am guessing that between the oysters and the guns there was a lot of testosterone flowing in many of the attendees that night.

Mike Killingsworth

Manteca