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IN THE USA TODAY

In USA TODAY the following two letters appeared:

Norman Bender wrote (“Renew assault-weapons ban,” Letters, Monday)

“James Holmes bought his weapons, including his assault rifle, legally.

In 2000, while running for president, candidate George Bush supported the extension of the assault-weapons ban.  And, given the carnage in Aurora, Colo., who could argue against that?  Alas, as president, Bush didn’t press Congress that hard to extend the ban and allowed it to expire in 2004.  What followed is part of our uniquely tragic American gun narrative.

History will judge how great a president Bush was, but part of the body of evidence in an assessment must surely include the body count of innocent victims of this not-so-innocent weaponry.

Philosopher Edmund Burke famously said “All that’s necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men to do nothing.”  Well, it’s time to do something.”

Also printed in that USA Today was a letter by Randy Soos from Tennessee (“Founders understood need for guns used responsibly,” Letters, Monday) where he says;

“As people argue anti-gun and pro-gun points, put me down as pro-gun.  USA TODAY reader Aaron Spital wrote, “There is no place for assault weapons in civilized society…killing machines that the authors of the Constitution never imagined” (“Stand up to gun lobby,” Letters, Tuesday).

If the history I learned in school is of any value, I would think that the folks who took on the British, including our Founding Fathers, would have very much appreciated an automatic weapon.  You have only to look around the world and see what it means for oppressed civilians to be without weapons.  I believe that to be the gist of the Second Amendment.

Yes, there is a place for assault weapons: in the hands of law abiding civilians.”

We find a number of Mr. Soos’ comments quite interesting.  First, if our Founding Fathers, amateur soldiers, fighting on their own terrain had assault weapons, we’re just guessing the British and Hessians would have had them too, which could well have negated our home field advantage.  Second, it is generally accepted that when you wish something were different historically it is to achieve a better outcome, and while I have never read a history book printed in Tennessee, it’s my strong impression that we actually defeated the British, and we most definitely do not speak with an English accent.