To the editor:

First, the current state: There are 400 million guns in a country of 300 million people. Most people don’t own guns, or own one or two; this means that a few people have a lot of guns. This won’t change any time soon. Worth noting, perhaps, is that gun-related injuries are far more common in states with the most lax gun laws. This is perhaps not related to the laws themselves, but to the gun culture prevalent in such places.

Second, background checks: No one is a criminal until they have been charged, tried, and convicted. No one is insane until they have been legally determined to be insane. This is due process. By all means, let’s do background checks, but that will not stop gun violence.

Third, Red Flag laws: Good idea. Just make sure they will stand up to Constitutional challenge.

Last point: The Constitution. Very simple, a previous writer said, “ … the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”

However, the Founding Fathers included another bit, which the Supreme Court has decided was included in error: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State … “ Well-regulated militias don’t shoot up schools and birthday parties. In my opinion, the Supremes were wrong on this one.

So which parts of the Constitution shall we ignore?

I don’t have answers, but it is dangerous to fall back on simplistic answers to complex questions. We are not living under tyranny, as were our Colonial forebears (so we are told). This is our government, duly elected and constituted, and if your vote was for the losing candidate, better luck next time; improve your argument. If the solution is taking to the streets with AR-15s, we are truly in trouble.

Clay Commons

22 Bayside Ave.

Portsmouth