Dear President,

I have grown up outdoors all my life. Some of my favorite things to do are fishing, camping, hunting, and shooting. Many times, guns have been present while I was doing these things. As President, I understand that gun control is a very big concern for you. I also understand that there is little to no compromise or middle ground on the subject.

From what I have observed, gun control is a very controversial subject on the national level. On the left side of the political spectrum, guns are seen as causes of violence and as unnecessary assets; On the right, however, they are seen as tools of protection and a means to provide food for one’s family, as well as a Constitutional right to have. Therefore, the left leans leans toward heavy restrictions and banning of certain firearms and “assault weapons,” while the right wishes largely to maintain as much freedom as possible relating to firearms.

Some gun control will always be necessary. However, I am of the opinion that large scale bans and buy-backs would be very ineffective and a waste of time. A black stock and a few more ergonomic customizations don’t make a firearm any more dangerous than an old, beat up deer rifle. The problem with violence related to guns is not the gun itself, but rather the intentions and wishes of the person with the weapon in their hand.

Gun bans will do nothing but make it harder for a law abiding citizen to protect themselves from violent criminals. For example, the city of Chicago, Illinois, has some of the Nation’s strictest gun laws; Chicago also has the Nation’s highest rate of gun violence. This serves to prove that restricting firearms impairs only law abiding citizens from committing violence with a firearm.

In West Virginia, the gun laws are very different. While in Chicago you must have a permit to carry a concealed firearm (which is the case in many states), and open carry of a firearm is illegal, West Virginia requires no permit; as long as a person is 21 years of age in West Virginia, they may carry a concealed firearm legally. The rate of gun violence in West Virginia has gone down since this legislation was passed. This statistic shows that good people with guns can reduce the level of violence perpetrated by bad people with guns.

In all the time I have spent around guns, I have never once had a thought of using one for violence against another human being. The same can be said for many other legal gun owners in our great nation. Firearms are no more than tools which can be used for a number of things. Many people use guns to feed their family through hunting. Others use them for protection. Of course, our police and military use guns to keep us all safe and free under the law.

Please, as President, use common sense and your absolute best judgement on the subject of gun control. Please take into consideration the millions who depend on guns for food, protection, and even income. Please do not take away the liberties that so many Americans like me love and enjoy.

Sincerely,

Jack Y.

“Undeclared War; Chicago grapples with Historic Gun violence”

""Undeclared War:" Chicago Grapples with Historic Gun Violence." CBSNews. CBS Interactive, n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2016.