Readers React: ‘Guns are fun’ isn’t a valid reason for owning an assault weapon

To the editor: I am disgusted by Robert J. Spitzer’s assertion that “pleasure is a perfectly legitimate reason to own an AR-15.” I cannot think of a worse reason. (“Why are assault weapon sales jumping? Because they’re fun to shoot,” op-ed, June 12)

That Americans have allowed firearms designed for combat to morph into “tactical” or “sporting” weapons is perverse, especially when they can be equipped with high-capacity magazines that facilitate mass murder. They are weapons of warfare like missiles and bombs. Thankfully, we don’t have zealots claiming 2nd Amendment rights to those arms too.

I envision a petulant child with balled fists, stomping his feet because he wants an AR-15. A person who has to have one because it’s forbidden fruit strikes me as a person with poor impulse control who probably shouldn’t have one.

This type of person has no empathy for those whose lives have been devastated by these killing machines, and they have no intention of relinquishing any of their toys.

Loren Lieb, Northridge

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To the editor: The notion of squeezing off a round from an AR-15 does sound masculine, until I realize that my 3-year-old granddaughter could perform the same task.

Lock and load, Walter Mitty!

Brian L. Masson, Harbor City

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