To the Editor:

After natural disasters such as Superstorm Sandy, which decimated parts of New York and New Jersey and sickening atrocities such as the Newtown school massacre, millions of Americans look to our president for leadership.

Condolences and governmental assistance are expected.

Following Newtown, Obama issued executive orders and proposed gun reforms to Congress to curtail people with mental problems from acquiring guns, including assault weapons.

National Rifle Association members and millions of gun enthusiasts are understandably up in arms. Many see a ban on assault weapons, restricting their ammo clips and background checks as the beginning of a slide down a slippery slope. Many envision governmental bans on other guns and gun confiscation.

Those familiar with how our system of checks and balances works know that any proposed gun control legislation has to be approved by both houses of Congress and withstand possible review by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Those who stoke gun advocates’ fears about the Second Amendment being nullified are taking advantage of their ignorance of these checks and balances.

Despite their opposition to proposed gun reforms, the president represents these Americans too.

The government would have about as much luck confiscating several 100 million guns, including thousands of assault weapons, from millions of Americans as it would rounding up and deporting an estimated 12 to 15 million illegal immigrants.

Millions of Americans probably don’t spend an inordinate amount of time contemplating either unlikely scenario — our society descending into anarchy.

Millions of Americans could probably care less about owning arsenals, stockpiling ammo and would never bring an assault rifle into their homes. They are not fearful of the president or other politicians trashing the Second Amendment and the government coming to confiscate their guns.

The president represents these Americans too!

For millions of Americans, the Newtown school massacre of 20 children and six adults was the last straw, a “game changer!” Many are sickened by mentally unbalanced people randomly slaughtering students, moviegoers, worshippers, firemen and others innocently going about their daily lives. Millions want gun reform, even if it does not cure the problem.

The president represents these outraged Americans too!

Law-abiding citizens have constitutional safeguards protecting their Second Amendment rights. Unfortunately, the 20 innocent children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School had no protection when a psycho abused the right to bear arms and slaughtered them.

The president represented these dead Americans too!

Makalani Dingane
Franklin