Editor,

This is letter is about Mr. Freeman’s gun-inspired anger. Yes, the U.S. “has become even more awash with guns,” especially since the present administration took office, but homicide rates have declined even as the total supply of guns has increased.

Notwithstanding Mr. Freeman’s paranoia about guns, mass shootings contribute a relatively small fraction of gun deaths — and result in massive news coverage. Northeastern criminology professor James Alan Fox: “… there has been no increase in mass shootings and certainly no epidemic.”

See also: www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/09/17/mass-shootings-rivet-national-attention-but-are-a-small-share-of-gun-violence/

December 2012, Economist John Lott: With one exception (Tucson in 2011) U.S. shootings since 1950 with more than three people killed took place where guns were prohibited.

Mr. Freeman’s estimate of 390,000 deaths since 9/11 is reasonable.

Ten year figures for 2002-2011: Total deaths 309,536; suicides 178,118 (57.5 percent of total – increasing); homicides 118,999 (38.4 percent of total – decreasing);

Homicide rates, by year, for 2002-2011: 4.11, 4.11, 3.97, 4.18, 4.29, 4.19, 4.01, 3.75, 3.59, 3.60 — source, www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/region/united-states

The second amendment recognizes a fundamental civil right.

JON BERG

Freeland