Columbia, SC — In a Feb. 14 article, “Bill allows assault weapons,” Sen. Brad Hutto said pro-gun people are worried and essentially paranoid. We are worried because we are not naive nor ill-informed.

We only have to look at history to know governments have always disarmed their people. When the people are disarmed, they serve the government with no hope or liberty. Sen. Hutto says people in danger should call 911. We the people don’t have the luxury of bodyguards, and the average 911 response time is inadequate.

I’ll keep my guns, thank you. The universal background checks the president is pushing are only a scheme for a national registry of gun owners and will have no effect on crime.

Yes, we are very worried.

Jim Clark

Columbia