Dear Readers of the Times News,

I don't ever write letters to the editor, but in this case I will make an exception. One of your writers, Terry Ahner, put a column in your paper Feb. 8, 2014, expressing his opinion of why guns are bad leading to the conclusion we should do away with all guns.If we are worried about the welfare of the public, then I would suggest we go get our horse and buggies and do away with cars, since cars kill people as well.What Mr. Ahner's article failed to cover is that the United States occupies the number three spot in the world in death by gunshots. In the United States of America the three cities that have the strictest gun control laws on the books, Chicago, New York, and New Orleans, happen to be the cities that also have the highest gun related death rate in the United States. If you take just these 3 cities out of the equation the United States drops down to 29th in the world. If you were to take all the legal guns out of existence, then the only ones that would have guns are criminals, as they do not obey gun laws anyway. Then watch as the crime rate goes through the roof.The article points out that two people were killed by a criminal with a gun and I agree that is a shame, but how many gun owners are there in Maryland who did not kill anyone? Another life was taken outside Widener University, a crime for sure, but again many gun owners reside in that area who are responsible gun owners.Though the list of gun crimes goes on, so does the list of responsible gun owners who have never committed any crimes tenfold. And what was the death rate of people killed by the automobile over the last 50 years? I am sure the United States ranks at the top if not number 1 in the world.It frustrates me that the new philosophy of the United States is that Islam is a peaceful religion (if you believe that premise, then I have some wonderful ocean front property in Montana I want to sell you) and only a few nuts are the trouble makers, therefore do not hold it against the Muslim people. Do not view all Muslims as bad because of a few bad Muslims. Do not view all gun owners as bad because of a few bad gun owners.Perhaps Mr. Ahner would like to write an article about the 195,000 people doctors and hospitals kill each year, due to medical errors. I don't see the concerned press of the United States trying to close hospitals or putting doctors out of business for their neglect, though those numbers are staggering.Some other statistics:• In 1865, a Democrat shot and killed Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States.• In 1881, a left wing radical Democrat shot James Garfield, President of the United States who later died from the wound.• In 1963, a radical left wing socialist shot and killed John F. Kennedy, President of the United States.• In 1975, a left wing radical Democrat fired shots at Gerald Ford, President of the United States.• In 1983, a registered Democrat shot and wounded Ronald Reagan, President of the United States.• In 1984, James Hubert, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 22 people in a McDonald's restaurant.• In 1986, Patrick Sherrill, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 15 people in an Oklahoma post office.• In 1990, James Pough, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 10 people at a GMAC office.• In 1991, George Hennard, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 23 people in a Luby's cafeteria in Killeen, Texas.• In 1995, James Daniel Simpson, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed five co-workers in a Texas laboratory.• In 1999, Larry Asbrook, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed eight people at a church service.• In 2001, a left wing radical Democrat fired shots at the White House in a failed attempt to kill George W. Bush, president of the United States.• In 2003, Douglas Williams, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed seven people at a Lockheed Martin plant.• In 2007, a registered Democrat named Seung-Hui Cho shot and killed 32 people in Virginia Tech.• In 2010, a mentally ill registered Democrat named Jared Lee Loughner shot Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and killed six others.• In 2011, a registered Democrat named James Holmes went into a movie theater and shot and killed 12 people.• In 2012, Andrew Engeldinger, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed seven people in Minneapolis.• In 2013, a registered Democrat named Adam Lanza shot and killed 26 people in a school in Newtown, Conn.As recently as September 2013, an angry Democrat named Aaron Alexis shot 12 at the Washington Navy Shipyard in Washington, D.C.Clearly, there is a problem with Democrats and guns. Then again don't judge all Democrats as bad because of a few bad Democrats.Sincerely,Leonard J. Alabovitz