I find it hard to understand why elected officials in this country, before taking office, place their hand on the Bible and swear to uphold the Constitution of the United States, then within a short period of time ignore the Constitution or begin to tear it apart.

The present administration is a perfect example of this. It has no interest in what goes on in this country unless the situation can be used to further their own political agenda. The Uvalde, Texas, school shooting reflects this very thing. The first thing this administration and the Democratic party did, almost before condolences could be offered, was to call for more gun control legislation. This is nothing more than the government trying to gain more power over the people. That is exactly why the Second Amendment to the Constitution was written, to prevent the government from taking the ability to defend themselves away from the people.

By proposing more gun legislation and tighter restrictions on gun ownership, the Democrats are apparently blaming guns for the shootings rather than people. From my viewpoint I have yet to see a gun load itself and pull its own trigger. People are responsible for those actions.

Here is a certainty that will happen if the buying of guns becomes more restrictive or, heaven forbid, confiscation occurs. Criminals, or non law-abiding citizens, will still have access to guns because the U.S. is not the only country in the world that manufactures guns. These guns can be bought and smuggled across our open southern border just as easily as drugs can, and we know how devastating that is.

With this administration and the Democrats’ assault on the Second Amendment, these things could happen. Then we would be totally under the control of the government and criminals. No longer free. Just another third world country.

As a nation, we have fought in other countries to preserve freedom. How about speaking up and standing firm for our freedom in this country?

Dick Culley

Baker City