To the editor:

The recent massacre in Aurora, Colo., has revived the question of gun control in America, especially concerning assault rifles and multiround clips.

The Second Amendment says the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed upon. In Washington, the powerful NRA has bullied Congress to comply with its every whim, which has morphed this amendment to now include automatic weapons and unlimited clips that can be legally sold without background checks to anyone with money like gangs, drug dealers and the mentally deranged.

As a Vietnam combat veteran, I am familiar with automatic weapons, how to use them and what they can do to human beings.  As an American, I think it is time to address this issue and try to avoid the future slaughter of innocents in places like Columbine, Virginia Tech and now Aurora. Unfortunately, neither presidential candidate has the courage to even talk about this problem.  Our gutless Congress and local politicians refuse to address this issue. After all, it is an election year and God forbid they offend the gun lobby.

I do not want to take anyone’s guns away, but we Americans cannot solve our gun problem by letting more people have them! Once again, our politicians have proven themselves spineless, selfish individuals at the bidding of the NRA and special interests, and we the voters continue to elect them year after year! Shame on all of us for putting up with this cowardly act!