A response to Mr. Pat Perkins letter to editor

Dear Editor,

In response to Mr. Pat Perkins' letter in which he chided the Vernon County Sheriff for his support of folks owning an assault weapon, I support the Sheriff. I own an assault weapon, as many of my friends also. My view of the Second Amendment is that it was not designed to give hunter's rights to hunt with a gun. It is not about self-defense against a criminal. Self-defense is a God given right. It is natural to defend one's self from attack. A natural right needs no guarantee. Even Jesus told his disciples to take a sword with them on their missionary travels (Luke 22:35-36).

The real reason for the Second Amendment is protection from GOVERNMENT. Our Founding Fathers knew that government was the greatest threat to freedom. Thomas Jefferson: "The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny of government. " Jefferson also said: "And what country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. "I call upon another Founder, Zechariah Johnson: "The people are not to be disarmed of their weapons. They are left in full possession of them ... this is a principle which secures religious liberty most firmly. " Richard Henry Lee: "To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."

James Madison: "The advantage of being armed (is an advantage which) the American possess over the people of most other nation ... governments are afraid to trust the people with arms. "

George Mason: "Forty years ago, when the resolution of enslaving America was formed in Great Britain, the British parliament was advised ...to disarm the people. That it was the best and most effectual way to enslave them. But that they should not do it openly; but to weaken them and let them sink gradually." Is liberal gun control Mason's view in action?

The Second Amendment begins: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State. " A Militia is composed of men who have arms but are not part of the armed forces such as the US Army. The National Guard is not the Militia.

It is government. The purpose of arms is to provide for "security of a free State" which can be threatened by an invading army or by a tyrannical government such as occurred in Communist Russia.

Then the Second Amendment concludes by stating: "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. " The people compose the Militia. I am the people.

To own an assault rifle is constitutional. The Sheriff is right and Vernon County is blessed to have Sheriff Mosher.

Respectfully,

Gray Clark