In the news story “What’s ‘essential’? Golf, guns and ganja” (March 29, Page A4), Associated Press reporter Andrew Selsky in effect takes states to task for continuing to allow sales of guns, liquor and marijuana during the pandemic.
His message is that the sale of none of these items is “essential.” I beg to differ.
As to liquor, Selsky apparently is not aware of the lessons of Prohibition. It didn’t work, never will, and encourages criminal activity. The same holds for marijuana.
In both cases, isn’t it better that we allow places for legal sales than push it off to the black market? I doubt that any criminal dealing in illicit sales is going to take even scant notice of social distancing or sanitary measures.
Selsky, like others, keeps holding on to the delusion that allowing gun and ammunition sales will lead to increased violence. Statistics witness the fact that this is a myth. Each citizen is responsible for their own security, and this was ruled as such by the Supreme Court.
The police have no duty to protect the individual and cannot be relied on to arrive when summoned to prevent criminal acts. As Sam Colt said, “God created men, Colt made them equal.” Take away the individual’s access to guns and you give the edge to criminals, who, by their very nature, do not obey the law.
Leslie Ohmart
Brewer
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