The point of the 2nd Amendment

Kudos to Bryan Griem for his wise and balanced response in The Leader’s “In Theory” column (“God, guns and country,” Dec. 29). His point that guns in the hands of a law-abiding citizenry are “peacemakers” stood in sharp contrast to the dangerous silliness of the other contributors who variously responded by advocating gun control laws for the law-abiding, shakedown money from Glendale residents to “protect” them from gun shows, disarmament of more law-abiding citizens so we can “evolve” and survive, and claiming that the 2nd Amendment gives everyone the inviolable right to massacre people.

The movie “Sergeant York” depicts the true life of Alvin York, a new Christian who, when drafted during World War I, wrestles to reconcile his duty to country with obeying God’s commandment, “Thou shalt not murder.” When he finally understands the word of God, “Render unto God the things that are God’s and unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s,” York takes up arms and fights effectively and successfully. When asked why he did it, given his faith, York replied, “To stop the killing.”

That’s the blessed benefit from the 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms: our ability to stop the killing.

Mary Schindler
Burbank