Why do we allow large capacity semi-automatic pistols?

I firmly believe in the right to bear arms, in accordance with our Constitution. I still have my WWII Springfield .30-06, with which I killed dozens of moose and caribou to feed my family.

But why should we allow high-capacity semi-automatic pistols like the AR-15 to be so readily available that an 18-year-old can just walk into a store and buy one? There should at least be a background check, I can't think of a logical recreational use of such a weapon.

When we fly, the TSA checks everything. You can't even bring more than three ounces of liquid through security. Isn't this a violation of our rights?

Yes, there are irregularities in our government, and we should all work to eliminate them. Jay Hammond used to say "The American system of democratic government is the worst in the world, except for everything else."

- Orin Seybert, Anchorage Correction: An earlier version of this letter incorrectly described the AR-15 as an automatic pistol. The AR-15s available to civilians are generally considered semi-automatic weapons. Do you have something in mind? Send to [email protected] or click here submit via any web browser. Letters under 200 words have the best chance of being published. Writers should disclose any personal or professional connection to the subjects of their letters. Letters are edited for accuracy, clarity and length.