Each of us has an opinion as to what common sense is. For me, the following are common-sense measures on guns:

• Bump stocks should be banned. The age limit for purchasing firearms should be 21. High-capacity ammunition clips should be banned. The sale of all types of armor-piercing ammunition should be banned. The sale of all semiautomatic weapons should be banned. Their only purpose is for killing. Background checks must be done for all gun sales.

• A permit should be necessary to carry a concealed weapon. The permit cannot be issued without proof of training in use of the weapon.

• Open carry should not be allowed. It does not make the majority of us feel safe. Many towns in the Wild West required people to leave their guns with the sheriff before they were allowed to enter town, scholars say.

• Schools should not be turned into fortresses. It would be easier to minimize the mass shooting problem by eliminating the sale of semiautomatic weapons.

• The National Rifle Association’s stock answer to the Parkland shooting emphasizes mental health issues. There is no recognition that the type and easy availability of weapons are part of the problem.

These changes do not infringe on their interpretation of the Second Amendment. People can still own and possess guns. The majority of Americans favor most of the above changes. We should feel safe when we are in public, going into schools and living our lives. Personally, I feel less safe knowing so many guns are out there.

The NRA claims any of the above infringes on the rights of its members. In the 2008 Heller ruling, Justice Antonin Scalia wrote about an “important limitation” on the right of an individual to bear arms: “We think that limitation is fairly supported by the historical tradition of prohibiting the carrying of ‘dangerous and unusual weapons.’ ”

Stan Tetenman

Portland