As a veteran and former hunter with personal knowledge of four deaths by firearms, I believe Americans need protection from firearms, especially military weapons which can kill or maim dozens of people within a few seconds.

Types of death by firearms include homicides, suicides and “accidental” deaths due to improper handling or storage. The New York Times reports 39,773 American gun deaths in 2017, 60 percent of which were suicides and “accidental” deaths, 73 by children. Confirmed deaths for the total Vietnam conflict reached 58,220. In one year we had civilian deaths equal to 68 percent of total Vietnam War casualties.

We need better identification and treatment of depressed people, with authority to temporarily take away firearms; easy access for abused women to find safety with confiscation of abusers’ weapons; mandatory background checks, required safety classes and proof of secure storage; prosecution of those who refuse to comply, including confiscation and lifetime loss of gun privileges. Military weapons should be bought back and destroyed.

Instead of fantasizing about military weapons, people who want to fire them should join the military where they will be supervised, and weapons secured. Unfortunately these actions will take decades to complete, but slowly we will become a civilized country.