As a “bleeding heart liberal,” I, of course, think that background checks and assault weapon bans make sense. The reasons for and against these gun restrictions have been stated many times in the weeks since Sandy Hook, and I don’t intend to restate them here.

I would like to say that there are guns in my home. My husband is a hunter and also has a pistol permit. However, in 20 years of marriage we have never had a conversation about defending ourselves against home invasion or how to arm ourselves against the Bureau of Alochol, Tobacco and Firearms when “they come to take our guns.” We also don’t plan our future based on a winning lottery ticket. The odds of either happening are about the same.

Apparently there are some who live with an overwhelming feeling of vulnerability that can only be resolved by obtaining a personal arsenal.

Perhaps the race war that some of you expected took on a whole new meaning when, instead of a war between the races, the majority of citizens in this country elected an African American not just once, but twice. Didn’t see that coming, did you? While you were down in the man cave polishing your gun and counting the bullets, most Americans were evolving beyond this country’s racist past and embracing a more inclusive society.

Now, as you rant on about the Second Amendment, you continue to insult the man most of us voted for. You call him a fascist, a dictator, a communist, lazy and so on. You compare him to Hitler and Stalin. You can do that because of the First Amendment, which allows you to freely speak your mind, no matter how uninformed you may be.

I would actually defend your right to free speech. That’s how we liberals are. However, I object that many of you refer to yourselves as patriots. You see, not only are there guns in my house, I also have a dictionary. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines a patriot as “one who loves his or her country and supports its authority and interests.” That’s not you. Based on how the country is changing, you might want to call yourselves dinosaurs.

Skye Opel

Star Lake

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