I rarely express my thoughts about gun violence, but it has gripped the nation.

Gun violence has become the new norm over the years and has been encouraged by the present administration through a divisive rhetoric of hate, race-bating, bigotry, intolerance and prejudice.

When the Founding Fathers wrote into the Second Amendment, the right to own guns they did not have in mind was what’s currently happening in our country. They were dealing with a revolution, and arms were essential for protection and defense from a hostile foreign power — not to be used against our nation’s own citizenry.

Gun violence is a reaction to a myriad of societal ills that have moved to the forefront, but have always been present.

As I see it, it’s not the gun that’s the problem, it’s the access to ammunition. A gun without ammunition is as useless as a car without an engine. What is needed is to control who and what entity has access to ammunition.

The majority of Americans do not need a gun.

Allan Barton, Edgewater

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Dismal gun laws point to a broken democracy

Other developed nations have their share of mentally ill people. Our country is the only one that allows them easy access to guns, including military-style semi-automatic assault weapons with large magazines. Corporate profits are clearly trumping human lives, which is further evidence of the extent of corruption in our broken democracy.

Lanlan Hoo, Wheaton

Lightfoot, Pritzker have no right to place blame on Trump

Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Gov. J.B. Pritzker have a lot of nerve to blame President Donald Trump for the mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio, when the city of Chicago has been a shooting gallery every weekend.

Lightfoot and Pritzker’s debuts as elected officials aretotal failures. They should take care of their own homes before falsely accusing Trump for the recent violence. The mayor and governor should be ashamed of themselves for making the tragedies in Texas and Ohio a political issue and demeaning Trump with false accusations of discrimination.

I’m holding you two accountable, along with all the citizens of Chicago, for any future gun violence in Chicago and Illinois that you fail to stop.

Dan Bartoszewski, Irving Park