To the editor: Laws must adapt to new guns
6/7/2018
Attendees walk by a display of AR-15's and AR-10's at the National Rifle Association convention in Dallas.
Like Walter E. Williams, I too am “over 65.” Much of what he says in his June 5 op-ed piece, “Past versus present Americans,” is correct. I, too, received my first gun, a .22 rifle, at age 12. It is true that you could buy a gun anywhere — from the Sears catalog to the gun dealer at the county fair — without any hassle.
But Mr. Williams is wrong about one thing: Guns have changed. The guns available were not military-style assault rifles. No AR-15s, no AK-47s, no high-capacity clips. Handguns were generally revolvers with six rounds per load or automatics like the M1911 .45 automatic with seven rounds in the clip and one in the chamber. The only military-style automatic rifle available was the Thompson sub-machine gun, and that was heavily regulated. You had to register it with the government and pay a $200 fee.
Regulating, or even banning, military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines would in no way infringe on peoples’ Second Amendment rights. There are still many other guns freely available.
The NRA says, “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” Not quite. People with military-style assault weapons kill people.
HENRY R. PROVOLNY
Elmore
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Remembering Andrew Massey
I am very sorry to hear the sad news of the recent passing of Andrew Massey (June 1, “Andrew Massey, the Toledo Symphony’s seventh music director, dies”).
I served under Mr. Massey as Associate and Resident Conductor of the Toledo Symphony for five years, from 1995 to 2000. I appreciated his dry sense of humor, his humility, and his honesty. He was a brilliant scholar, a mentor, as well as a friend, and he gave fully of himself to any cause.
He will be greatly missed.
ANDREW SEWELL
Madison, Wis.
Editor’s note: Mr. Sewell is the Music Director of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and the San Luis Obispo Symphony.
Nothing to hide?
If President Donald Trump is not forced to testify in Robert Mueller’s investigation, I have a question. All this time, Mr. Trump says there is no collusion or obstruction, that this is a hoax, a witch hunt, and fake news. If he has nothing to hide, why doesn’t he just testify?
He won’t testify because he’s been lying to the American people and himself for so long that he believes he’s done nothing wrong.
Just testify and tell the truth, Mr. Trump. And remember, you can’t lie under oath. Let’s end this charade they call an administration.
RICK SCHWEITZER
Wauseon