To The Reader's Forum:
I read with interest Sam Alessi's endorsement of NYS's newest gun legislation. I would like to point out that the MI Garand was initially built around a 10 rnd clip magazine. The Army brass wanted an internal magazine so space required an eight round maximum - the only military rifle I know of with less than a 10 round capacity.
I am not sure where Mr. Alessi (and others) get the idea the second amendment is a hunting or sportsman's amendment. It certainly doesn't say that. All that was written by the authors of the Constitution refer to it as a safe guard against foreign invaders or our government ruling us by force.
During our early history those men 10-45 years of age and able bodied (the militia) were required to own a suitable military rifle at their own expense. Today that would mean, as it did then, a rifle equivalent to that of the standard soldier of the day - rifles that are made illegal by the NYS law.
Then there are the background checks. Who gets to decide if you can have a gun?
When I saw the demonstrations in Washington I thought: "Look, people demanding the government take their rights!"
James Case
Cherry Creek