Military weapons, civilians don’t mix
How sad that on the same day the Mirror publishes James Wentz’s column recounting his military experience with weapons, a Texas civilian uses a military-style assult rifle to kill dozens of innocent church-goers.
My experience concurs with Wentz’s.
In 1967, I completed U.S. Army Infantry basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C. We were trained in the use of the then relatively new M-16, which is a prototype of the current weapons that turn up in most of these mass killings.
Our drill sergeants were very clear that this was not a weapon to be taken lightly. They proudly called it a “killing machine,” and they were not talking about deer hunting.
Civilians at that time were banned from owning M-16s and no soldiers were allowed to keep one after leaving the military.
I agree with Wentz that these weapons do not belong in the hands of civilians. I believe that my drill instructors, all combat vets, would have agreed.
Dave Taylor
Altoona
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