Here’s a powerful pro-gun letter printed in a Blue State newspaper:
I have read Jerry Moore’s columns in regards to, as he put it, “Move gun issues forward.”
I am a husband, father, an elementary teacher and a taxpayer. I am a law-abiding citizen of New York. I am a carry/concealed permit holder, rifle and shotgun owner, avid hunter and outdoorsman. I am a man who believes in the Constitution of the United States of America and the freedoms that it guarantees all law-abiding citizens.I am not a criminal. I am not a demon. I do not worship my guns, nor do I sleep with them and have names for them. I am not a hick from the sticks or a zealot.
I am not a Nazi who worships Hitler, although I do have a picture of Adolph Hitler hanging in my office. It hangs next to pictures of George Washington and Samuel Adams as a reminder of the past. After all, if we do not remember our past, we are doomed to repeat it.
The picture of Hitler hangs as a reminder of the horrors that men are capable of when absolute power is granted to them. The pictures of Washington and Adams hang as a reminder of what great men are capable of. By the way, I found it convenient that you didn’t mention that much of the Nazi paraphernalia sold at these gun shows is sold and purchased by military collectors and, in most cases, part of larger displays of military memorabilia from all sides.
Now, that is not to say that some of it is not purchased by individuals who have a warped fascination with Hitler. That would be misleading, sort of like stating that the majority of gun owners are Nazis.
Your disdain for gun ownership was more than transparent throughout your series. The misinformation you presented, your portrayal of gun owners and assertion that we are criminals fits well within the lines of the message that our illustrious governor has tried to convey throughout his so-called service to our state. I find it convenient that you forgot to mention that gun violence has actually been on the decline for years.
The fact is, Mr. Moore, your rhetoric, delusions and misinformation are also part of the problem. Serious, responsible gun owners are talking about ways to solve the current issues surrounding gun violence. Gov. Cuomo proved he wanted nothing to do with serious discussions with the New York SAFE Act — which, by the way, is a direct violation of not only the Second Amendment but the Fourth as well.
The only thing I agreed with you on, in all honesty, is that changes must come. They must come from responsible gun owners and from leaders who have a firm grasp on what democracy truly means.
When and if that time comes, I would be more than happy to take part in those discussions. But you, sir, would not be welcome at that table. After all, when zealots scream that gun owners are Nazis, demons, hicks and criminals, when they scream that gun ownership is an inconvenience and the Constitution is an outdated document that no longer has significance, they do us all a great disservice.
Wells Patterson
Philadelphia
Source: http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20140122/OPINION02/701229953
My only criticism was mentioning the Adolph Hitler picture. Dude, it’s one thing to post Hitler memes to make a point about gun haters, but a Hitler picture in the office? There are somethings you don’t need to mention in a letter to the editor.