In the wake of one of the latest, but certainly not last, school shootings, President Obama rhetorically asked how it was possible that Washington, D.C., cannot address the epidemic of gun violence in this country [“Allow government to protect citizens from gun violence,” Northwest Voices, June 11].
It starts with an association — as distinguished from a “well-regulated militia” as defined in the Second Amendment — that uses fear, intimidation, misinformation and outright lies to create an umbrella to protect every conceivable right to bear nearly any possible weapon for everyone. This includes all association members, many of whom are undoubtedly among the most law-abiding citizens in this nation, and also includes the lowest, most demented, criminal crawling out from whatever rocks they live beneath to seek refuge under the association’s umbrella.
It ends in Washington, D.C., and the politicians sent there to legislate and lead in a manner that, above all else, protects its citizenry. When fear and intimidation from an unregulated association meets politicians compulsively bent on doing what it takes to get re-elected, we have a simple explanation as to why Washington, D.C., is unwilling to act.
Association members should be ashamed of the company they happily keep under their umbrella, and politicians should be even more ashamed that they are collectively more interested in the next election than the next school shooting.
Tony Arvish, Mercer Island