Throw safety act in the trash

Dear Editor,

When I think of the Utah ‘Safe’ to Learn ‘Safe’ to Worship Act and more specifically the Gun Violence Prevention Center, I can’t help but think about the words of Henry Weaver:

“Most of the major ills of the world have been caused by well-meaning people who ignored the principle of individual freedom, except as applied to themselves, and who were obsessed with fanatical zeal to improve the lot of mankind-in-the-mass through some pet formula of their own … The harm done by ordinary criminals, murderers, gangsters and thieves is negligible in comparison with the agony inflicted upon human beings by the professional ‘do-gooders,’ who attempt to set themselves up as gods on earth and who would ruthlessly force their views on all others – with the abiding assurance that the end justifies the means.”

It seems the anti-gun crowd is more concerned about the safety of the murdering scoundrel than of the respectable citizens and children. Why do they keep pushing for “no-safety zones?” Thomas Paine said it quite simply, “… arms discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property … Horrid mischief would ensue were the law-abiding deprived the use of them.”

Our forefathers did imagine horrible acts of violence such as Columbine. That is why they produced volumes of information about the importance of having an armed society.

Another problem with the “safety act” is the increasing government regulation on what churches can and cannot do. Who am I to tell some church, which I am not a member of, to not teach firearm classes to their congregation? And who are you to tell me I can’t teach a safety class to Boy Scouts who have permission from their parents and church leaders to do so? And if you can regulate a church on this issue, why not another issue and another?

I say let churches govern themselves and throw that “safety” Act in the trash, again.

Craig Huntzinger