To the Editor:"Creating A Safer, Less Intimidating Environment," Letter Hive, 2/5/16.]

I would never attempt to convince anyone who already has a fixed belief about gun control to change their mind. And, I don't do so here.

However, there are many who don't know the issues and are, therefore, unduly influenced by lies and distortions such as those advanced by a representative of the Newtown Action Alliance (NAA) in last week's Letter Hive. [

To my way of thinking, the only thing worse than a bully is a sanctimonious bully. One who tries to force you to do it her way because it's really the "right and moral" way, or else. In this case, it's the NAA threatening Caraluzzi's Market over the issue of allowing legal, open-carry in their stores. If Caraluzzi's doesn't adhere to the demands of the NAA, they will work to destroy them economically. That's a bully worthy of inclusion in George Orwell's "1984."

Secondly, any reasonably informed individual recognizes the "statistics" used in that letter were absurd on their face and defy belief. In fact, the only "epidemic" associated with gun violence in this country is the "vast left-wing conspiracy" on the truth. The agitators who advance these "statistics" know fully well they are preying on victims and those who don't understand the difference between causation and correlation. But, bullies don't care about their methods. Just the outcomes.

For, make no mistake, these NAA, "common sense" crusaders of gun control want the same end result already achieved by "progressives" in Europe and Australia: the practical disarmament of all citizens. The state will protect the people and, if the police can't get there in time to stop a mass-shooting, it's really for the common good that no one individual has the opportunity to defend herself and family in public.

When their response to senseless mass-killings is to find incremental ways to further disarm a law-abiding public, the intent is plain. Their simple-as-a-child message is clear: guns are the source of evil in the world. Guns are the problem and, therefore, Guns must be eliminated.

The real bottom line: All their lies and statistical misrepresentations won't save defenseless children and teachers in classrooms, shoppers in malls or movie-goers in theaters when a deranged homicidal maniac or radical Islamist is shooting. The only thing that will save them is another good person with a gun. And, especially not a policeman who is 20 minutes away.

Denying Americans their legal, constitutional right to defend themselves by establishing "gun-free, killing zones" will not go unanswered forever by the courts. Eventually, the courts will understand that in our country with our unique Constitution and personal rights, these kook-fringe radicals are actually, themselves, responsible for unnecessary carnage by denying lawfully-armed citizens the opportunity to stop killers.

Groups like the NAA and their cosseted politicians are now recognized for what they have become: sad, pathetic bullies, more concerned with advancing their "progressive," anti-Constitutional ideals than actually solving the very real and present danger of mass shootings.

Respectfully submitted,

Peter McLoughlin

Pleasant Hill Road, Newtown         February 8, 2016