Have you ever tried to buy a machine gun in Hawaii? You can’t, at least not legally. Have you ever tried to buy a hand grenade or a bomb? You can’t, at least not legally. There are many other weapons of war that civilians are not legally entitled to own.

Nevertheless, by any measure we are a weapons-loving country. There are more guns and rifles in the hands of civilians than there are men, women and children, and there are far more weapons per capita in U.S. homes than in any other country.

We like to think of ourselves as being a civilized society, and the vast majority of us want better background checks for all weapon sales. But how can we credibly claim we are a civilized nation when civilians are legally permitted to own assault rifles and magazine drums that hold up to a hundred or more rounds that can kill dozens of people within a couple of minutes?

Our representatives need to reflect the values of a civilized society and enact sensible gun laws.

Robert Griffon

Makiki

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