Editor,

I am pretty fed up with all the ills of society being blamed on guns.

Let’s look at the mortal facts. 2,400,000 people die of illness. 35,000 people die in car crashes. 36,000 die of overdoses. 66,000 die from unintentional injury. 20,000 deaths are attributed to suicide and 5,000 homicides no gun involved. Gun deaths are 22,000 suicides and 11,000 homicides. 500 deaths are from mass shootings; a relatively small number.

Ask any of the huge number of responsible careful gun owners if guns are dangerous. Yes, of course they are.

There are more than 22,000 laws related to gun ownership already in place. If you don’t believe there is already gun control, just try to buy a gun.

There are good reasons for owning guns: 1. As a hedge against tyrannical government (that is why we have the Second Amendment). 2. It is our responsibility, as citizens, to repel foreign invasions, including home invasions 3. For enjoyment, like collecting of guns as historical artifacts, examples of functional art and of design ingenuity. Competitive target shooting and plinking — 4. for hunting and survival.

If you want to save lives, perhaps you should address some of the primary causes of “wrongful” death first. Banning cars could save 35,000 lives each year; banning ladders, electrical outlets, trains, stairs and icy sidewalks could save 66,000 lives lost each year due to accidental injuries. Banning males 15 to 40 years of age would reduce this number by 50,000 as they comprise the group most prone to accidental death.

Seriously, 132 million people are born every year; 55 million die. At this rate, in 25 years your grandchildren will be much more concerned about starving than about being shot.

Making guns a demonic meme by the media is taking the focus off issues that will affect us and the ones we love the most. Please order your priorities appropriately.

Pray fervently and surrender to God’s will.

JOANNA SPAGNOLINI

Clinton