The Sun has published a number of letters that ridicule the idea that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to keep and bear arms (e.g., "Stronger gun limits could curb tragedies," April 26).
The dismissive tone of these letters, with the not-so-subtle implication that only an ignorant buffoon could possibly believe that the Second Amendment means what it says, is particularly infuriating.
While this misrepresentation of the Second Amendment's protections is disturbing, perhaps even more disturbing is the apparent enthusiasm with which these writers attack an individual liberty.
"Public safety" is the typical explanation for these assaults. But the truth is likely more insidious.
Many people proclaim their support for individual rights. But what they actually mean is that they support those rights that they find personally convenient.
A free nation cannot remain free when its citizens proudly exhibit such hypocrisy.
Brad Sharpless
Odenton
Human stories keep readers coming back
Congratulations to Abigail Tucker for her well-deserved award for outstanding human-interest reporting ("Sun's Tucker wins award for reporting," May 2).
I think that it's the kind of human-interest stories Ms. Tucker does so well that bring us back day after day to the newspaper.
After trying to digest the unspeakable horror of the war news and the dozens of other doom-and-gloom stories of the day, it's good to read an article of a gentler nature that shows sensitivity to the other world around us.
It warms the soul and reassures us that not all is lost.
Velva Grebe
Towson
