To the editor:

In a recent letter to the editor, Walter Jones claimed that a lawless bunch of “patriots,” whom I suspect he was accusing of owning guns and using them for nefarious purposes, was somehow breaking laws by shooting them on private property during daylight hours. He took it upon himself to “defend” the people who live across the highway from the range from what he determined was a frightening and threatening invasion of their peaceful enjoyment of their own property. I know the people who were doing the shooting. None fit the violent profile Mr. Jones drew. I know the people Mr. Jones was “defending.” One of the “patriots” approached his friend, a member of the family supposedly cowering in fear. Her response was an assertion that they are not threatened or upset about the target practice in the pit. This was confirmed in person by this writer in a conversation with an extended family member.

The number one reason U.S. gun owners own a gun is for protection AGAINST crime (67%), not the commission of crime. The second most cited reason for gun ownership is target shooting (66%). (The total is more than 100% because respondents could cite more than one reason.) Target shooting, like piano playing, is a skill honed by consistent practice. To safely shoot guns, one must practice both the shooting skill and the safe handling of the firearm.

Why does law enforcement not stop the practice? There IS the Second Amendment to the Constitution, guaranteeing the right to keep and bear arms. There are no people shooting their weapons in Mr. Jones’ neighborhood doing so with the intent to commit violence against anyone, including people with different thoughts about gun ownership and the legal use of their firearms on private property.

Source for the statistic quoted is ThoughtCo, one of the top 10 information sites, as measured by comScore.

Carol Strenge

New Ulm