Reasonable steps can cut risk of harm

I write in response to Donald Froelich’s April 24 letter. Let me explain how we Democrats are trying to change the law to safeguard all citizens.

1. Nobody is going to be classed as a potential terrorist; in fact, background checks would help to find the terrorists and prosecute them. We have to go through background checks for various reasons throughout our lives — driver’s licenses, health reasons, educational purposes, job searches. Are we to protest all these?

2. The Second Amendment states: “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Surely this means that in times of war and civil disturbance, the people may form a militia and thus bear arms. This was in a time when America was having to fight to keep the peace and when a standing army was not thought either necessary or beneficial.

3. Now that we have assault rifles available to the public and high capacity magazines being used to murder children, surely it is time to stop harking to a past that is neither relevant nor applicable to our current lives in this great country. These weapons should be confined to the police and to the military.

4. We do not want to take away guns from law-abiding citizens who have gone through background checks; our president is trying to prevent the horrors we have seen over the past few years.

Please listen to the sensible laws that are presented and pledge your support for reasonable ways to keep this country and especially our children safe from harm.

Maureen E. Yates

Barrington