Assault Weapons and Constitution

The argument that the assault weapons being banned (May 6) have only one purpose, which is to take human life, is as irrelevant as it is true. Our forefathers gave us the right to keep and bear arms so that we could rise up against a tyrannical government. No one has presented this in the press.

Banning assault weapons will be as futile as banning cocaine has proved to be. But it is a very big step down the slippery slope of socialism. If the press does not present this side of the argument, it is an accessory to the process.

RICHARD McGINIS JR.

Pasadena

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* I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Rep. Michael Huffington (R-Santa Barbara) for his favorable vote for the weapons ban. His vote alone could have stopped this insane march toward the repeal of the Second Amendment.

The right to “keep and bear arms” is as important today as any time in our nation’s history. Self-defense is the primary law of nature and should not be taken away. Law-abiding responsible citizens are being stripped of their self-defense under the guise of crime control and now are outgunned by the criminals. This step in gun control should serve as a loud and resounding wake-up call to anyone interested in personal freedoms and constitutional rights. We all say we want safer streets, but we must insist that our elected officials do it without destroying the Constitution.

KENNETH R. MACK

Westminster

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* In reply to the commentary by Michelle Scully (“A Gun Widow’s Request: Courage in Congress,” May 5) on the banning of assault weapons: I agree that something should be done to get rid of assault weapons, but I don’t know if the legislation passed by Congress will be enough to stop what is already in our streets. The legislation will make it harder to obtain assault weapons by stopping the sale of them in gun stores, but people will find other ways to obtain them. It will be like drugs--they are illegal, but they are still sold in our streets. If assault weapons are sold illegally, they will most likely get into the wrong hands, like gang members.

The legislation is important and will help, but is a very small piece to solving the big problem of how to get the guns off the street that are already out there. The world is getting to the point where you can’t step out of your own house without being mugged or carjacked. In addition to passing the legislation, we need to have tougher penalties for people who ignore the law.

MARK PATINO

North Hollywood

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* We knew it would happen and now the news reports are confirming it: so-called assault weapons are selling like hot cakes. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) has done more to flood our streets with assault weapons than all of the country’s criminals.

JAMES CHANG

Torrance

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* In reviewing the extended debate surrounding the House bill to ban assault weapons, I kept hearing gun advocates return to the Second Amendment’s absolute right to “keep and bear arms.” It appears that many of those who use this argument have overlooked the fact that when this idea was added to the Bill of Rights, arms consisted of single-shot, muzzle-loaded pistols and muskets. I wonder if pro-gun interests would be willing to keep and bear those kinds of arms and agree to support a ban on all other types of weapons.

DAVE ALPERT

Los Angeles