Letters: Ignore extremes on gun control

The recent carnage in California has predictably reignited the gun control debate and sent politicians running for their respective corners. But given the increasing frequency of these nightmares, any rational thinker would surely have to assume that something is very broken — and God expects better of us.

Perhaps a look at how we got here would be a good place to begin seeking common sense.

I am comforted by the idea that it was because most Americans are gun owners that both Germany and Japan dismissed the idea of invading our homeland during World War II.

Gun ownership has always been a fiercely protected part of our culture, but I don’t think the founding fathers ever contemplated a drug-stoked gangster, white supremacy fool or home-grown Muslim jihadi with an AK-47 capable of firing 600 rounds per minute. When our cherished Second Amendment was drafted, a well-trained citizen-soldier could get off two or maybe three shots per minute.

To this unapologetic moderate, the gun control impasse seems a microcosm of much that’s gone wrong with this democracy. Until politicians have an incentive to again deal in good faith and quit pandering to their radical bases, the NRA gun-nuts and kumbaya liberals will continue to drive the firearms agenda. And that’s the gridlock that no amount of the bloody mayhem seems to change.

Sensible term limits and one six-year presidential term might be a good place to begin that.

This story was originally published December 9, 2015 at 2:25 PM.