Editor, Smithfield Times:

Am I the only one who finds the behavior of many legislators and presidential candidates a bit strange? They loudly proclaim the need for measures to make it almost impossible to admit refugees from Syria because there might be a terrorist among them  yet have no remedies whatsoever for the mass shootings that occur in the domestic population every few weeks. Every year since 2002, there has been more carnage in this country from our own gun-toting citizens than from foreign jihadists.

No one knows what atrocities the future may bring. Paris-style attacks on our people have been threatened and may very well happen. The one thing we can be sure of, however, is that if any Islamic State assailants do slip into this country, they will have no trouble obtaining guns and ammunition once they arrive.

The Second Amendment is not only obsolete but also wildly misconstrued. Keeping a pistol in every home and school teacher’s desk is less likely to prevent needless deaths from marauders than to be picked up and used by someone either mentally ill or determined to murder whomever they hate.  

I am not optimistic that Islamic State will never be able to mount one or more attacks within the United States. But I am even less optimistic that our politicians will cease opposing even the mildest of gun-control provisions while continuing to pocket checks from the National Rifle Association.

Bob Waxham
Smithfield