Bachelder letter: Oregon refuge

Thank God it’s over. The armed standoff in Oregon was illegal to begin with and put a lot of people at risk. I was afraid it would end even worse than it did. Law enforcement handled it just right, I thought, giving the trespassers time enough to back down but not letting the situation drag on forever. I thought the Statesman did a dandy job of reporting, keeping everyone informed but avoiding sensationalism.

Those arrested will have plenty of time to think about what they did in prison, and as an ex-felon they won’t have guns around anymore to help them throw their weight around. To me they are a good argument for the need for gun control. If you think you need a gun to justify something, you better consider the consequences.

This story was originally published February 5, 2016 at 7:44 AM with the headline "Bachelder letter: Oregon refuge."