U.S. has morality, not gun problem

No one can forget the shootings in Aurora, Colo., and Newtown, Conn., last year in which a total of 38 lives were taken. Those horrific events will be etched in our minds for some time. But now we see what amounts to another emotional knee-jerk reaction by those who seek to restrict the rights of law-abiding citizens to own and carry guns. Not that I'm trying to diminish the tragedy of the shootings, because I'm not. What I am doing is pointing out that no sooner does an incident like these occur than the anti-gun lobby jumps into their frenzied mode, demanding more restrictions on guns.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., a licensed gun owner herself, introduced a new bill to ban certain semi-automatic guns, magazines with ammo capacities exceeding 10 rounds, and any number of other guns or the like. New York's Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill banning magazines holding more than seven rounds of ammo. Shotguns and rifles with a pistol grip? Also banned in the Empire State. President Obama signed a bill including 23 executive orders to limit gun rights.

What's wrong with all this? It fails to answer or resolve the problem. We don't have a gun problem in America; we have a lack-of-morality problem, an "anything goes" problem. The good guys, who stand up for what's right, are demonized; the bullies and other bad guys are allowed to hurt others -- and get away with it. That is the real problem; solve it first.

TONY REDDICK, Jackson