Retired military commanders including Army Gens. Wesley Clark and Michael Hayden, Navy Admiral Eric Olson, Air Force Lt. Gen. Norman Seip and Marine Brig. Gen. Stephen Cheney have announced that they plan to send a letter to Congressional leaders. The group is part of the “veterans coalition” for gun control group founded by former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, Mark Kelly, a former Navy astronaut.  They argue that tightening background checks, banning semi-automatic weapons and appearance changing firearms accessories is allowed by a reasonable interpretation of the Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights.

The group goes further to claim that argue that Congress is “no longer speaking or voting for the majority of Americans, including gun owners.”  Please allow me to state here that liberal and entitled former senior officers are no longer speaking for me or my family. I respect their service, but gently point out that nothing in their training and experience qualify then to comment on my protection of myself and family, gun law or firearms technology.

The retirees claim that, as military leaders, they defended the Constitution and have considerable firearms training. The Soldier featured photo above is Maj. Gen. Darrell K. Williams, commanding general, CASCOM and Fort Lee, firing his M-9 Beretta semi-automatic pistol during qualifications day at the installation range complex. Williams gets credit for shooting with his soldiers. I believe that he is among the most proficient shooters in the Army’s senior leadership. As you can tell from his grip and shooting position, we should not look to him for advice on firearms.

This threatened letter comes as the House prepares to vote on national concealed carry reciprocity. Court decisions on gay marriage have been applied to other vital civil rights and it would seem that Constitutional protections should apply to all citizens in each state. The law would allow your home state concealed carry certification to apply across the fruited plain.The gun owner would be required to follow state and local laws regarding where and what type of weapons can be carried.

Retired Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal says “In the aftermath of two of the country’s worst mass shootings, it’s an affront to both our safety as a nation and the common sense of its citizens that Congress would consider actually weakening our gun laws. Untrained and potentially dangerous people have no business carrying guns in our communities, but the concealed carry bill in the House would allow exactly that.” He has the right to his opinion. Recent events indicate that good guys with guns stop shootings.

These were the leaders in charge as Defense Department failed to report domestic violence convictions to prevent felons from buying guns.  The Air Force failed to tell federal authorities about the domestic violence convictions of the Texas Church Shooter.

It is sad when aging retirees are taken advantage of by crafty politicians and manipulated into making simple statements about complex subjects they do not understand. Lenin called these kinds of people “useful fools.” While some of their suggestions sound reasonable, they are but steps in the broader agenda. Look to California and New York to see what gun control groups want. Citizens in these states have their rights restricted to the point of exclusion while gun crime continues unabated. The ultimate goal is to ban self-defense.

I agree that we need an ongoing national debate about stopping violence. If your group starts by suggesting the unilateral disarmament of law-abiding citizens and banning whole classes of firearms because they look like military guns, don’t expect me to take you seriously. I do not accept your qualifications to advise me on the Constitution, law enforcement or my family’s security.

Featured photo courtesy of the US Army