Obama uses Orlando shooting to renew his call: #tellusatoday

Letter to the editor:

It is time to repeal the Second Amendment. The National Rifle Aassociation and its Republican proxies have co-opted all sensible gun control debate.

Don’t be confused, the NRA has only one objective: to perpetuate its existence.

The sort of weapon used in Orlando to kill 49 innocent victims has no place in this country. That weapon has only one purpose: mass killing.

It is time to define gun ownership rights through legislation and not the Constitution. There is no need to fret — responsible gun owners can carry on as usual. But gun policy must be legislatively defined and not by a misrepresentation of the original intent (armed militias) of the Second Amendment.

Paul Bartlett; Allouez, Wis.

Letter to the editor:

Each year in the USA, we have thousands of people killed by guns. To those pro-gun folks who argue that the problem isn’t the weaponry, it’s the criminals, consider this: Toddlers have shot at least 23 people this year already. How long before pro-gun defenders point out that the only way to stop a bad toddler with a gun is a good toddler with another gun.

If this letter offends 5 million NRA members, and helps save just one toddler, deal. I’ll do it again and again.

Norman L. Bender; Woodbridge, Conn.

Facebook comments are edited for clarity, length and grammar:

If President Obama is so heartbroken, then why doesn’t he do something about preventing terrorism instead of trying to prevent law-abiding citizens from protecting themselves?

— Fleetwood Davant

At least he showed up and is supportive of the community that was hurt.

Besides, neither President Obama nor Vice President Biden have to play politics again. They have nothing to prove and no political agenda. Just normal human compassion.

— Brian Kelly

Obama should have apologized for the FBI letting a terrorist slip through its fingers. But he turned it into a gun control advertisement, knowing that any new legislation will do nothing to keep bad guys from killing us.

— Larry Gilbert

When the Islamic State terrorist group attacked France, France bombed ISIL. When ISIL attacked Russia, Russia bombed ISIL. When ISIL attacked the U.S., Obama blames guns.

— Michael Gardner

We asked our followers to tell us what they would say to Congress on the gun control debate. Twitter comments are edited for clarity, length and grammar:

Take an honest look at the gun death statistics of countries that are not overrun with assault weapons. Think hard.

— @BaileyPittipat

Gun control will not stop terrorism. Where there is a will, there is a way.

— @Lisa_Hornsch

Pass a ban on assault weapons on all individuals listed on the terror list.

— @JeffOstach

For more, follow @USATOpinion or #tellusatoday.