Editor,

Recently I read a letter to the editor about gun ownership, specifically the responsibilities of securing those weapons properly.

I strongly support our Second Amendment right to own/bear arms. It is a very important right for the public as well as personal safety.

To quote Thomas Jefferson, “The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.”

Now very true, more so than ever.

I own many different types of firearms, and absent the few I keep available in case the need arises, the rest are stored in a very heavy, secured, fire-proof safe.

I realize many people will say they cannot afford to buy a safe. If you can afford to buy a gun, you cannot afford not to buy a safe.

The incidents of gun violence more often involve people who illegally obtained a firearm and not legal owners such as myself. Theft is one of the primary sources of these illegally obtained weapons.

As private citizens, I believe we have an obligation to society to properly secure the weapons we own, to do the best we can to keep them out of the wrong hands from the neighbor’s curious child on up to the hardened criminal.

We do not have a gun problem. We have a people problem. Prevent the thefts and, for the love of God, someone in government please have the guts to pass laws that allow thorough, no-stone-unturned background checks on all gun sales.

I don’t give a hoot who that background check might offend.

A mentally ill person should not be able to buy a gun. It has happened many times and resulted in disaster.

I do not believe for a minute any laws are going to completely stop this problem. Good security practices and legislation with some teeth can go a long way to preventing much of the violence.

Remember, banning guns only helps the crooks.

Bob and Patti Stallone

Freeland