Gun Laws for the Elite

Contrary to what some anti-gun supporters may think, your recent article on gun permits (Gun Permits Issued to a Select, Targeted Few, Jan. 20) says exactly what the National Rifle Assn. and concerned gun owners have been saying all along: Gun control is structured to prohibit and restrict the masses but not the elite of society.

It’s disheartening to know a congressman, a judge, a district attorney, an artist and an actor can obtain permission to legally carry concealed firearms from local authorities, but the average person--who may have similar safety concerns--cannot. Misguided law enforcement officials may indeed want to limit the number of available firearms to the law-abiding public, but allowing only the upper level of the community to enjoy the same privilege of protection enjoyed by all off-duty police officers only aggravates a situation that many “common” gun owners feel is getting out of hand.

The Second Amendment says “. . . the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” Perhaps those who selectively enforce this concept should be reminded the Constitution protects the rights of all peaceable citizens and not just the well-connected few.

FRED ROMERO, Southern California NRA Field Representative, Simi Valley