Somewhere along the line these knee-jerk calls for gun control have got to stop. What we really need is enforcement of the gun control laws we have in the statutes today.

Guns are not the problem. It is the people who use guns to cause harm to others that are the problem.

We have background check laws in place but they are not doing their job. Why? Our background check system does not keep track of all the problems that should keep an individual from purchasing a gun or rifle. Until the background check system is fully integrated with our mental health system, our law enforcements records system, and our terror watch list there will be holes in the system that allow people to buy guns who shouldn’t buy guns.

Background checks are an infringement on our Second Amendment rights but in today’s society with all our degenerates, background checks are a necessary evil. Yes, an evil that I can tolerate.

Rather than getting on their soapbox about gun control every time there is a shooting our elected officials need to be making improvements in our current background check system. Our elected officials do not need to be passing more laws to infringe on our rights as citizens. We have too many infringement laws as it is today adding more is uncalled for and highly unnecessary.

It is time that the rights of “We the People” are respected and honored. It is the law abiding citizens that need to be looked out for instead of being punished with unnecessary gun control laws that only benefit the criminal elements.

Ray Shamlin

Rocky Mount