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More thoughts on gun control legislation

April 6, 2018

I have been following all of the commentaries and letters concerning current gun control legislation. I have become increasingly concerned about comments from Sen. Ernie Lopez and as of today, Rep. Steve Smyk.

Part of my concern is some of the ways they have responded, particularly through emails and back and forth with constituents. There have been nasty comments about "Progressives" and people who disagree with them on their positions.

However, that is not how they present themselves in published commentary. Joanne Cabry is my friend and she has done a great volunteer job, and I will continue to support her and the rest of the Progressives.

Here is my position. I first want to say that I myself have fired a gun and shotgun. My ex-husband was a hunter and kept those weapons in a locked gun case. (There were no assault weapons of war.) In the middle of the night a drunk entered my vestibule, and I did not know who was in there and I was home by myself.

I got the handgun out of the locked cabinet and went to the door, and said I was going to count to 10, and if you are still in there I will shoot through the door! Whoever it was got out of the vestibule immediately. I opened the door and smelled alcohol - there was a bar across the street and it was cold outside. Yes, I would have shot through the door.

I believe that weapons of war should not be on the streets in my country. I would like to point out that when the Second Amendment was written, the only guns on the streets were muskets that fired once and then you had to slowly reload them! Sen. Lopez in a commentary stated there were other Delaware laws that precluded him being able to co-sponsor and vote for two bills - one concerning age and habitual offenders.

I also do not believe that the Delaware constitutional amendments pointed out by Sen. Lopez would stop the Legislature from getting war weapons off of our streets. If it would, then change them!!

I am a proud Progressive and want to protect today's children in our schools. Most of these shootings have happened with assault weapons of war, and we need to get them off our streets. It should not even be an issue of age; no one should have them unless they are fighting a war.

Finally, I am so proud of the young people who have risen up and are taking the reins. They have experienced things that none of the rest of us have experienced unless we were on the battlefield. They will be scared for the rest of their lives, and we should support them. They will vote and I will be standing with them!

E. Betty Deacon
Lewes

 

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