Appel letter: guns

Opening the Statesman the morning after the most recent mass shooting in this country, I noticed a local retailer (Cabela’s) had an advertising insert with similar assault-type rifles to those used in many of the worst domestic terrorist events this country has had to endure over the last few years. Does anyone not see the insanity. How can America call itself the greatest country in the world when we continue to ignore this situation? Nothing will happen now. If nothing is done after 20 schoolchildren are slaughtered, then there you have it. How can you possibly consider some sensible gun restrictions to alleviate some of the slaughter as inconceivable? I guess there are enough people out there who consider these random events that will never affect them. Do we not understand that these type of events do not occur in other civilized countries to near the extent that they do here? I also know this letter will bring out hate and condemnation of these type of thoughts. I own hunting firearms and yet I still feel the need to speak out. Maybe not in our lifetime but somewhere down the road.

This story was originally published December 12, 2015 at 11:13 PM with the headline "Appel letter: guns."