Semiautomatic firearms available over 100 years

The Orlando shooter, who in the past had been under investigation by the FBI for making inflammatory statements about radical Islam, walked into a gun store and asked to purchase a firearm. The shooter filled out the federal form and the gun store owner called the FBI NICS system for approval of the sale.

The FBI approved the sale of the firearm.

Comments from the editorial staff of our local paper about “a high-powered rifle-a .223 AR-style Sig Sauer MCX semiautomatic,” “military style weapons” and a “rapid-fire rifle capable of mowing down a crowd in a matter of seconds” fit well into the liberal gun control narrative.

Why does political correctness continue to place the blame upon the same type of weapon carried by the police officers who were called to the scene to stop this madman?

Semiautomatic firearms with detachable magazines have been sold to the average citizen in the U.S. for over 100 years. How has the liberal agenda changed the morals of our nation during that time?

During the 20th century more people were murdered by their own governments than were killed during warfare. Our fathers and grandfathers stopped the Nazis, during WWII. When they stormed the beaches of Normandy most of them carried semiautomatic rifles. If you think we are not presently engaged in a war, you need to do a reality check. Admiral Yamamoto, who led the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, stated that an attack on the U.S. mainland would be met with a rifle behind every blade of grass.

The purpose of those who authored the Second Amendment is clearly stated in the Federalist Papers. The best way to stop a tyrannical government is weapons in the hands of citizens. Mass graves found throughout the world bear witness to this fact.

— Joe D. Teeter

Gold Hill

Tobacco-free parks?

Last month, I asked a very important question to all readers of the Post. Now is time to ask some questions to just one person, Aaron Church, county manager.

On June 12, you were quoted in the Post as saying, “Dan Nicholas Park is unique.”  Did you mean it is “unique” because it is one of the few parks that not only allows smoking but actually encourages it? Or did you mean it’s “unique” because there’s a $50 fine for littering but no one enforces the law or writes the tickets for littering?

But here is the most important question that needs to be answered now. Why is the children’s health and safety important just in the playground and not the entire park?

Also on June 12, Elizabeth Cook had a very good column, “Mission: Teach children to read.” At this point in time, I would like to help her and volunteer for this mission. I think Dan Nicholas Park would be a great place to start. It would take about 30 minutes to walk from sign to sign and teach the little ones to read. Not only could they learn to read, but they also could learn logic and common sense, with the right teachers. Then maybe by the time they reach third grade they could explain to Aaron, Greg and Don and the rest of that bunch that their signs are stupid, outdated, illogical and need to be replaced.

One sign could do it all: “Welcome to our tobacco-free parks.” It’s past time to M.O.V.E. (Make Our Visits Enjoyable).

— Whitey Harwood

Rowan County