Editor:
Sheriff Spruell is partly right. The Second Amendment does say “people have the right to bear arms.” The word “militia” was used, although also not clearly defined, possibly because our forefathers were wise enough to know that in the future conditions and needs could change. What the amendment clearly does not say is that we have the “right” to have any kind of weapon we want. Guided missiles, atomic bombs, etc., had not yet been invented.
Unfortunately we have not, at least in this country, developed laws to control guns. When a law is developed and passed, we all, including police officers, have an obligation to obey that law. We do not have the “right” to pick and choose which laws we obey. If we believe the law is a bad one, we, as does Spruell, have the “right” to try to get it changed. If Spruell, and some other police officers around the country, believe otherwise, they have absolutely no business being in law enforcement.
And yes, there are tyrants in our country, like the petroleum industry and Grover Norquist lobbyists who buy and control our representatives. We do not have a democracy anymore. When the majority of the people support national or at least standard gun background checks and a powerful and rich group like the NRA can buy and control the vote, it becomes very clear who the tyrant is.
If Spruell thinks that citizens having more assault weapons out there on the streets and in their homes, and more available to the criminals, will accomplish anything, then I don’t think he belongs in the law enforcement business. Over the past 20 years or more, police departments have pleaded for more and bigger weapons so as to not be out gunned by the criminals. If Sheriff Spruell thinks that having the “right” to have weapons that are made solely for killing people trumps the “right” for people to have a life, then he should resign and go somewhere like Syria or Africa where everyone including women and children carry a gun!
Tom Townley
Mancos