The 10/9/25 issue of The Alpena News contained an op-ed column authored by Jeffrey Brasie, ‘America has become a shooting gallery’. In his column Brasie calls for more gun control and cites violence statistics from the Gun Violence Archive, ABC New/Axios, Pew Research, and CNN, all left-wing organizations. Brasie says, “Other sensible options exist that uphold the Constitution’s Second Amendment”, whatever those are, in addition to the five he listed.

Dan Wos of the Ammoland blog has a different view, one that I ascribe to. He states “Let’s be clear: the Second Amendment doesn’t say, ‘the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed….unless the government says otherwise. It doesn’t carve out exceptions for background checks, waiting periods, or fees. The right to bear arms is exactly that. It’s a right. Not a privilege, not a ‘maybe’ and not a ‘we’ll see’. ‘Keep’ means you can have them, and ‘bear’ means you can carry them.”

The 2A wasn’t written for deer hunters or target shooting. The Founders put it in the Constitution so that the People had the means to keep a tyrannical government in check. A RIGHT is not a privilege; it is something the government is supposed to protect. Would we accept a background check and a fee to vote? To write a letter to this newspaper? For an editor to publish a newspaper?

What has changed since I was in school and could have my shotgun in my car for hunting after school, or to even take it into wood shop or metal shop for repair? Possibly all the mind-altering drugs we put kids on these days? The violent video games that desensitize them?

What would James Madison say about Brasie? Anything? Or would he just be mad as hell?

Mike Leow

Rogers City