To the editor:

DON’T BE AN IDIOT WITH A GUN! The Adirondack Daily Enterprise editorial about people “testing” Second Amendment rights was spot-on. If you take the time to look on YouTube, there are countless “tests” on video. Check out the comments. There are people of the opinion that since it’s our right to do so, we should exercise it in this manner, and nobody should be upset. IDIOTS!

Full disclosure: I’m a firearms dealer. I’m a firearms instructor. I’m a firearm owner and have been since my teens. I don’t hunt. I’m a retired trooper. I like guns … a lot.

As with all our rights, there comes responsibility. Sure … the Second Amendment allows you the right to keep and bear arms. That does NOT mean you have an obligation to demonstrate that right by walking around in tactical gear with a tactical rifle slung on your person, in public.

With all the public mass shootings, this is the most dangerous thing a gun owner can do. It is also among the most irresponsible. A large part of being a safe, responsible gun owner is using common sense. Common sense tells us, since there have been numerous mass shootings, it would cause great public alarm if we were to appear at a public place, openly armed with a long gun (of any kind). Common sense should tell us, there is a high probability of having a less-than-pleasant contact with law enforcement if we do that. Common sense should tell us, we may encounter an armed off-duty law enforcement officer or legally armed citizen who will take action to protect the public.

If you want to protect the Second Amendment, don’t be part of the problem. Be responsible. Use common sense. If you’re not responsible and don’t use common sense with firearms, you deserve to lose that right so that right may be preserved for the rest of us.

Frank Whitelaw

New York State Police, retired

Bloomingdale