Peter Kapuscinski in his letter “On Northam’s response to gun violence” says that Governor Northam should enforce current gun laws instead of calling for new gun control legislation. This begs the following questions: Which gun laws aren’t being enforced? How does he know the laws aren’t enforced? Why aren’t they being enforced? How would stricter enforcement prevent mass shootings? In his hyperbolic letter, Kapuscinski doesn’t go into details but merely repeats the usual NRA mantra.

There is a law that removes a convicted felons right to own a gun. There is also a law that says convicted felons can get their rights to own a gun restored. Are these laws not being enforced? The problem is that the current gun laws were written to deal with your typical criminals: gangbangers, drug dealers, hold up artists etc. and not with mass shooters like the those who shot up Virginia Beach and Virginia Tech. Most mass shooters do not have a criminal record much less a felony conviction. Neither were they under psychiatric evaluation prior to the shootings. They also obtained their weapons legally.

I find it strange that some pro-gun advocates say that it’s OK to confiscate guns to prevent violence from someone who might be psychologically or emotionally disturbed while opposing red flag laws that would give police the authority to do so. In effect, they’re saying that a potential mass shooter can’t have his Second Amendment rights taken away until he commits a crime. In other words, you have to wait until he pulls the trigger before legally allowing the police to act.

The proposed legislation includes universal background checks, child access prevention, one gun a month limit, banning assault weapons, including bump stocks, requirement to report lost or stolen guns, allowing localities to ban guns from municipal buildings and red flag laws. These are all commonsense laws and do not infringe on anyone’s rights. Those of us who want to see a decrease in gun violence should support Governor Northam.

JAMES PECA is a retired U.S. government analyst living in Farmville. He can be reached via email at Jep315@gmail.com.