The Norman Transcript

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March 18, 2013

Uphold 2nd Amendment

The Norman Transcript

NORMAN — Editor, Norman Transcript:

My thoughts on gun control differ from those expressed by Larry Steele in his March 10 letter. Personal disclosure: I am a life member of the NRA, a retired Air Force colonel and love this nation as it was founded.

If you look at the entire Second Amendment — “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed” — it is clear the Amendment does not regulate arms. It protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms and to become members of a well-regulated militia for the defense of a free state. A militia is not an existing state or federal military unit. It is a military unit formed of armed citizens.

I do not argue that we should not have laws. I argue that the Constitution is the Supreme Law of this nation. All elected and appointed officers including the military take an oath to protect the Constitution as written, not as a “living document” or as interpreted by someone.

If there were no evil, there would be no need for a military, a police or personal arms. But evil exists. At a personal level there are home invasions and looters like those that occurred after the recent natural disasters in New Orleans and New York.

Personal protection is a citizen’s choice. To keep and bear arms is a Constitutional right in this nation, and that right should be not be infringed. If you are willing to forfeit this right, what other right are you willing to forfeit?

Sidney T. Hanna, Col. USAF, Ret.

Norman

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