As a senior citizen, I sometimes think the world has gone crazy. The reason is simply that there are a lot of well-meaning people who advocate what they think is the remedy for some social ill when they haven’t stopped to consider the whole story. A good example of such behavior involves referendum Question 3, regarding background checks for the transfer of firearms.

When I was young, I considered guns a thing of beauty. In high school during bird season, I often went bird hunting (game birds) using a neighbor’s 12-gauge shotgun. Another neighbor offered me the use of his .22 caliber revolver for shooting rats at the dump. I considered that great fun back then.

Background checks will not prove that the person I loan my gun to will be a safe hunting partner; only I should decide that. More importantly, some police authorities are in favor of Question 3, as well they should be since many accidents involve the police.

Accidents involving police personnel could have been prevented by their choice of guns. The phrase “one up the spout” is applied to the auto load which has proven an accidentally deadly weapon in the hands of too many police officers. They are simply over gunned. Sheriff Andy Griffith knew this years ago and took a proper course of action for his eager deputy, Barney Fife.

Jim Keough, Litchfield