Letters to the editor LGO teaser

A letter to the editor in The Astorian on Feb. 17 called to eliminate the Second Amendment because “there have been more than 46 mass shootings already in 2024.” Mass shootings are when three or more people are shot, not including the shooter. This includes gang-related shootings and shootings involving illegally obtained firearms.

I am not discounting the fact that we have a problem with shootings presently, but eliminating gun ownership won’t stop that. Americans have owned guns since we formed our government, and when I was in school we took our guns in our vehicles so we could hunt when school got out, and we didn’t have an epidemic of school shootings or mass shootings.

The No. 1 cause of deaths with firearms is suicide, and that statistic probably was true also years ago. Our former President Barack Obama made public statements saying America’s love affair with big pickup trucks and guns was causing our problems in this country. If we get rid of big pickup trucks and guns, are we solving climate change and gun violence?

I believe we currently have a hate problem in this country and it isn’t about race, gender or ethnicity. We just can’t discuss issues in a civil manner with other people if they have different views than we do.

How about we work together to find the cause of what’s happening, instead of banning things just because other people disagree with our views? Mental health help could solve a lot.

Don E. Thornton

Warrenton