Judith Hopkins of Pownal brought up an interesting concept in her letter of Feb. 5. She claims that by voting for President Bush in the last election, many Americans acted against their own interests, with the underlying reason being an “unjustified fear” of gun control. In her next paragraph, she laments the loss of thousands of children in Iraq. As a new father, I identify with this sentiment, yet emotion does not cause me to lose sight of the facts regarding the politics of firearms.

Gun control in any of its past, present or future forms serves only the purpose of disarming populations or subpopulations in order to control and exploit them more easily. In the 20th century, an estimated 170 million men, women and children were killed by their governments, following passage of a draconian gun control law. Where are the tears and sympathy for the Jewish children who died in death camps like Auschwitz? Children of parents rendered defenseless by their own ignorance and willingness to comply with gun-control laws. This is unjustified fear?

You can label me an extremist or paranoid, but I am not fooled by promises of health care or other government nanny programs. No significant gun laws are ever repealed. The gun-control extremists always gain ground, and all Americans lose in the end. I do not care what “benefits” the socialists in other nations enjoy. They cannot own effective weaponry, and therefore are not free.

John Donald Jr., Jay