Editor,

I read with deep concern the article about Oak Harbor Councilman Jim Campbell voting against gun regulations for Oak Harbor parks. Knowing him to be a man of integrity and courage, or thought he was up to this point, I would have expected much better from him.

Instead, we get the name-calling and intransigence.

Does he actually believe the propaganda that the NRA is proposing?

Does he truly believe that arming more people would end this cycle of violence?

Or is it possible that, by arming more people, we could end up causing more bloodshed?

Simple road rage incidents that could have ended up with minimal injury now become murders. People with grudges now shooting people with impunity. It does not become a solution, but adds to the problem.

It’s also comforting to know that he feels comforted to have weapons carried around in municipal parks, where children play. Not all gun owners are responsible. And all it takes is one accident. One misplaced weapon. One stolen gun. Just one. Then he can have the honor of consoling the grieving loved ones.

How many friendly fire incidents will it take before he realizes the error in his ways?

I, too, firmly believe in the Second Amendment, but know that it says nothing about unlimited access to any gun that you want. That’s propaganda from the “I want what I want when I want it and you can’t tell me I can’t have it” crowd. If you arm people with a gun, then you’ve met the requirements of the Second Amendment.

I truly hope that Campbell’s vision of the world does not come to pass. I hope that we can come together and pass some legislation, with compromise between the gun and gun control lobbies, that will curb the escalating violence in our society.

Forrest Joseph
Oak Harbor