The Second Amendment was put in place for individuals to be able to defend themselves against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Our revolutionary militia in 1776 defeated one of the most powerful armies of the day and created this great nation. The authors of the Constitution created the Second Amendment to ensure the people would be able to defend themselves from a tyrannical government in the future.

If a recent letter writer from Granite City is saying individuals should not be able to own guns, he is sorely mistaken and his interpretation of the Second Amendment is clearly wrong. One of the definitions of militia is "a body of citizens organized in a paramilitary group and typically regarding themselves as defenders of individual rights against the presumed interference of the federal government."

The abuse of guns will continue no matter what kind of laws are put in place. Maybe if we get rid of the violence that kids are subjected to on a daily basis and deal with mental health issues, these tragedies will stop.

Disarming the people is not the answer. And if the writer thinks we are not subject to government tyranny, he had better open his eyes and look around. And yes, every school should be afforded the same protection that our government officials and their families enjoy.

Kathy Craig

New Baden