I am responding to Rick McFall's letter to the editor on Jan. 6.

McFall seems to feel his right to own firearms is in jeopardy. The current discussion involves banning assault weapons. My question is why does one need an assault weapon with a 20 round clip? Oh. that's right. It is to protect us against government tyranny, as indicated in Frank Vincent's letter to the editor on Jan. 11.

It's this kind of paranoid and irrational thinking that make discussing realistic gun control measures difficult.

Universal background checks should be mandatory. Mentally ill people should be monitored. Those who advocate banning all firearms are a small minority and do not reflect mainstream thought.

Let's sit down and discuss possible ways to help protect innocent people.

TONY SCHOUVILLER, Pasco