Controlling ammo will

stop mass shootings

I think I have the answer to the mass shootings that are occurring everywhere. The Constitution clearly protects our right to own and bear arms. However, I don’t believe there are any laws that say the “law” can’t control the ammunition.

Automatic weapons require a particular ammo. All other kinds of guns can’t use that ammo. Even crazy people aren’t going to be able to shoot masses of people if they have to lock and load every shot.

Trying to stop criminals from purchasing guns is a waste of resources. They can get them through the black market. However, if we stop the manufacturing of automatic ammunition, they will have to hang the automatic weapons on the wall.

Gun manufacturers will go on producing single shot rifles and revolvers (they never stopped). Again, if they have to lock and load every shot, it still stops mass shootings. That’s not to say that some people won’t be crazy enough to try, but at least they won’t kill as many people before they are stopped.

Automatic weapons are designed for the military, so we could “fill the air” with lead to stop hundreds of enemy troops who were charging at us. The military probably still needs that ability.

And I would be in favor of police being able to obtain this ability. But civilians don’t need automatic weapons for hunting. Chances are, if you missed the first shot, you’ll miss the second shot too.

Stop production of automatic ammunition for civilian sales, and you’ll stop a lot of needless killings.

Gary Bolinger

St. Joseph

All gun sales need

background checks

With national news of mass shootings and local news of a heavily armed man walking through a Missouri Walmart, can we talk about our state’s gun laws?

We are in a precarious position in Missouri; nearly anyone over the age of 19 can walk our streets carrying a gun without a background check. Lawmakers are pushing to add even more guns to our daily lives by writing bills to place guns on college campuses, day cares, and even bars.

Over 90% of Americans want background checks on gun sales, but my reps refuse to sign bills that would require background checks citing the Second Amendment. It is fallacy to say that common-sense gun regulations will lead to infringing on the rights of law-abiding gun owners.

No amendment is absolute, especially when it impacts public safety. You can’t yell “Fire!” in a crowded theater, yet we don’t pretend that rule is an infringement on our right to free speech. Likewise, laws that require a background check on every gun sale will not limit the ability of law-abiding citizens to own a gun.

Lawmakers continue to ignore the will of their constituents. We need background checks on all gun sales in Missouri.

Jessica Piper

Hopkins, Missouri