Let’s get realistic about assault rifles

In full disclosure, I am a conservative, but I believe an understanding of the origin of our Second Amendment, as well as a realistic view of how the population can protect ourselves from government are called for. Our Founding Fathers were tremendously forward thinking. They put the Second Amendment in place to give the citizenry the capability to resist governmental overreach. In 1791 the arms held by citizens were a fairly even match for those held by the government. That simply is no longer the case.

A thousand assault rifles are not going to stop one tank or one fighter jet. It is time to limit the kind of weaponry that the general public can purchase. Yes, bad guys will still be able to get assault rifles, but it will be much harder. It will be one step among several that will be useful in preventing mass shootings.

Since we know we cannot fight the government, we must hold the government accountable for playing by all the rules that are in place. If you do not acknowledge that the IRS targeted conservative groups' applications to deny them tax exempt status, you are drinking the Kool-Aid. If you do not acknowledge that elements of the FBI, DOJ and State Department applied a biased approach to push the Democrat Party over the Republican Party, you are not only drinking the Kool-Aid, you are endangering our country by allowing those same government elements impunity.

Bob Hepker

Center Point