Gun control measures needed immediately

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To the editor:

How many more times will communities across the nation be thrown into gut-wrenching grief, how many more times will parents have to bury their children, how many more massacres do there have to be until action is taken and until assault weapons can no longer be bought at Wal-Mart as part of a Black Friday special without a thorough background check? How many more Sandy Hooks, Auroras, and Tucsons will there have to be until actual action on gun control is taken?

Civilian model assault weapons such as the AR-15 which was used in both the Aurora Theater and Sandy Hook shootings feed high velocity 5.56mm NATO cartridges into the firing chamber from their high capacity 30 round assault magazines quickly and allow for fast and accurate semi-automatic firing, firing that can either be done to put on an impressive show at the firing range or cut down an entire classroom of 1st graders in their morning meeting. Assault rifles in the hands of civilians are completely unnecessary, they are not necessary for neither hunting nor home defense. To all those who claim otherwise, notice that you live in the United States of America, not the tribal territories of Afghanistan. A hunting rifle, shotgun or handgun is more than sufficient.

The Second Amendment gives us the right to bear arms, but contrary to what the gun-crazed civilian soldiers of the National Rifle Association may say, it is possible to introduce comprehensive and effective gun control regulations without chucking the Second Amendment. Simply re-enact the assault weapons ban and create a system of thorough background checks for gun buyers as well as controlling the selling of weapons at open ended gun shows. These solutions cause little harm and could potentially prevent so much. Before mass shootings become a WHEN as opposed to an IF, before more parents are forced to bury their children and we are forced to endure another horrific tragedy, it is imperative that we as a nation act now.

Matthew McCudden

Amherst