Dear Mrs. and Mr. Defender of the Second Amendment:

While I disagree with your interpretation, I do applaud your efforts to defend the constitution. I just want to know what would it take for you, as a group, to sit down and discuss reforms that would stop the slaughter of innocent children? What would it take to pass a law requiring a special license and registration for weapons of war that are currently readily available to anyone? Make no mistake these are weapons of war.

I am often told it is a mental issue but when we try to reform mental health we are met with “how are we going to pay for the reforms? And then we put the mentally ill on the streets to fend for themselves.

I see bumper stickers about supporting the “blue” but I really do not want officers in our town afraid to make traffic stops because of what might await them. Many are our friends and loved ones. This is something we should not ask of them.

I am often told a good gal with a gun will stop a bad guy with a gun. Although there may be some isolated case where this actually happened, we all know it really only happens in the movies.

Arm teachers and school officials? Do we really want combat training to be a part of a teaching degree and our schools turned in to something closer to prisons than schools?  This is something we should not ask of them.

Please tell me what would it take to have a discussion in our town, our county, our state and our nation to talk about reasonable reform to stop the slaughter of the innocents. What would it take for me not to worry about my loved ones shopping? Is safe shopping a gunfight at Walmart between a bad guy with automatic weapons and good gals with concealed pistols? Are safe schools an individual with automatic weapons of war having a gunfight with a teacher with a pistol. Sure, we have a right to own a gun, but what about the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?

Yes, I am a progressive, a gun owner and a former hunter. I also served in the military so I do have experience with guns. I enjoy John Wayne, Clint Eastwood and other action movies. Still I do not want to shop with a gun on my person. I want to leave all that at home and interact with my fellow citizens in peace.

I want to know, where is the outrage that is called for and is missing? Outrage is missing from churches, media, sports figures, police officials, elected officials, etc. Sure, there are some but they are the proverbial voices in the wilderness. Where are the authority figures and their outrage? Are we too comfortable in our little nooks that we continue to sacrifice innocent children so as not to jeopardize our comfortable existence? Are we going to just send thoughts and prayers until it is our innocents and then ask; Why doesn’t somebody do something?

So what would it take to stop the name calling and create safe places for all our loved ones?

Jim Windham

Oxford City Council, Post 5