As we celebrated the first moments of 2013 with friends in our home in Lewes, the very first sounds we heard were gunshots. It stopped our wishing each other Happy New Year as we hoped that no person or animal was being shot at 12:01 a.m. Jan. 1. After a minute or two, it was clear that the sound was gunshots and not firecrackers.

With all the gun violence throughout the country during 2012, not to mention the horrific shooting of the children in their elementary school only a few weeks earlier, it was almost beyond belief and certainly appalling that one or more individuals would ring in the new year by shooting weapons.

Second Amendment or not, it was inappropriate, thoughtless, dangerous and illegal. Clearly that did not make a difference to those who felt shooting a gun or rifle was the best way to start 2013.

Jeff Rodgers
Lewes