Letter to the Editor: Passage of the New Gun Control Bill

Letter submitted and written by Ed Ricciuti of Killingworth 

I am a centrist voter with progressive leanings who will now be forced to vote for candidates on the right, thanks to the deprivation of my constitutional rights by our governor and misguided legislators. Passage of the new gun control bill is also forcing me to renew my NRA membership, which I allowed to lapse because I felt the organization was unfair in its attacks on President Obama. No longer. Our lawmakers have violated the Constitution of the United States. 

There was a time when disregard for the rights of citizens would have sent people to the barricades. A better way of fighting is to opt for the course taken in the past by other civil rights advocates -- unrelenting peaceful protest. It works for women, minorities, illegal immigrants and the gay community. Why not for law-abiding gun owners? Civil disobedience is out, because arrests might prompt attempts to seize guns. But we can protest in many other ways. And we can begin working to make sure that the governor and others who supported this petty piece of tyranny never again hold public office. I am saving my pennies now so I can contribute to opponents of the gun grabbers.

Governor Malloy may think his support of ill-crafted gun control measures will boost his political ambitions for higher office. Let's make sure the reverse happens. 

If leftist Democrats and Republicans who cannot stand up for their own convictions make all gun owners criminals, how in the world will there be enough police to arrest us and enough space to imprison us? 

Ed Ricciuti
Killingworth