It seems to be fashionable today because of the shootings to demand everyone's guns be seized or a total ban on all assault weapons. It makes more sense to seize everybody's automobile in order to stop drunken drivers from killing families and children.

Any rifle, pistol, automatic weapon or single shot weapon is an assault weapon! The media has determined that assault weapons are demons from hell. Because the assault weapons are used in law enforcement or the military, there are those that will say that "normal people" should not be allowed to own them. The only difference in these weapons is the way they look and the fact they carry three times the ammunition as "a normal weapon." In California, they have established a law where you cannot have more than one round in the chamber and nine rounds in the magazine. That type of legislation is appropriate.

I have several years in police work, and even in light of the Sandy Hook shootings, I say it is not only dangerous, but as well, unconstitutional to disarm citizens so they cannot defend themselves in that three- to 10-minute emergency response time.

With all of the shooters, there was a previous history of mental illness. We ignore those with mental illness, and then wonder why they do these horrible acts.

In writing the Constitution, Washington and Adams were insistent on the Second Amendment. There is more reason today to keep it untouched.

Tom Watkins

Maple Falls