Suppose the population could agree that our current gun laws aren’t working — too many innocents are getting killed. Would not a reasonable step be to get rid of assault weapons and high capacity magazines? I can’t believe either of those add to the thrill of the sportsman.

Suppose one legislated that in five years it would be illegal to own either an assault weapon or a high-capacity magazine, and during those five years have a government “buy-back” program? In the first year the buy-back would be 100 percent of the fair market value, the second year, 75 percent, the third year, 50 percent and the fourth year, 25 percent. Would this get all of the assault weapons and high-capacity magazines off of the streets? Of course not. That would take decades.

There is no quick or simple way to fix the problem, but that shouldn’t stop us from taking the first steps. With time, the remaining illegal items will disappear as they get confiscated or whatever.

Lester C. Welch

Aiken