On March 9, in a letter to the editor, Mr. Moulton expressed his views on the Second Amendment. I agree with the value and necessity of the right to bear arms. To the “slippery slope” argument, my response is less agreeable.
Public safety and the right to live our lives in peace and security anywhere and at any time should also be a prime consideration in a civilized society. There is jeopardy in the nation caused by reckless abandonment of common-sense discussions on many issues that in a democratic republic are the obligation of the people and their elected representatives to try to come to terms with.
More important than fear of government is participation in it. The right to vote and the right to peacefully protest disagreement of government policy have more power than violence and anarchy. I believe these rights are most valuable to the citizenry of the United States.
You fear socialism. I oppose fascism. I am confounded by those who on one hand demand their inviolable rights with no intrusive controls while on the other hand decry the rights of others.
Without a sense of irony or shame, there are those who would seek to control, limit or disregard the personal, societal, cultural, medical and educational rights of others, even to control, limit or disregard the right to participate in voting to win and maintain these rights.
Our democracy was created of, by and for the people, not for some, not for special groups and not for those with the most guns, but for all the people.
It is also important to note that we operate in a majority-rule consensus. If you cannot persuade by the strength of your argument, you may not presume that the size of your gun will change any minds.
Let us return to reason and being reasonable.

Tim Berger
Rio Rancho