Sep 8, 2015 1 min read

Your Aug. 28 editorial page carried a column by The New York Times‘ Nicholas Kristof on gun control. His main point, which I agree with, is we need universal background checks. That said, all legitimate gun dealers I’m sure would adhere to them, but what about pawn shops and the underworld?

Where I disagree with Kristof is his statistical juggling, particularly comparing the United States with other countries. This is absurd without exact statistics as to the exact number of firearms per capita, the density of population per square mile and other factors.

Perhaps the most important factor is how people make their living. People who have to work to survive don’t have time for nonsense. There is an old but ever-so-true saying: An idle mind is the devil’s playground.

Besides, when he was governor, Tom Corbett signed Pennsylvania’s “stand your ground” law, and the knowledgeable, defensive use of firearms by a greater number of people in itself will add to the decreasing number of criminals.

Ed Rinkhoff Jr.

Smock