October 30, 2015

Letters to the Editor

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No letters were printed this week; here is the letter from last week:

We must find a way to control flood of guns, gun violence in America, reader says

I hope those in power and those of us who elect them read and give deep thought to the story in the Oct. 16 issue of The Criterion citing Chicago Archbishop Blase J. Cupich’s words about gun control.

His comment that “the Second Amendment was passed in an era when organized police forces were few and citizen militias were useful in maintaining the peace,” explains the first, and I think, most meaningful phrase of the amendment. That is, “a well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state … ”

That part of the amendment gives full meaning to the rest of the amendment, and yet when a discussion of the “right to keep and bear arms” comes up, gun lovers avoid it like the plague.

First of all, they evidently fear the words “well regulated,” and there are no militias anywhere that they attend for training and regulation. When I ask them about attending well-regulated militia meetings, they just grunt and mumble derogatory remarks.

The gun lovers can use any excuse they can justify, but if they read the full amendment—both phrases—I don’t think they can claim they have a constitutional right to keep and bear arms.

Let us all pray with our bishops and Pope Francis that we and our legislators will have the moral courage to stand up to the gun lobby, the National Rifle Association, and find some sensible, intelligent way to control the flood of guns in our country, and the epidemic of gun violence that is taking over our nation.

- Gerard Burford | Indianapolis

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