I was disturbed after reading Michael Velsmid’s letter to the editor comparing two 17-year-olds — Audie Murphy who killed 50 Germans during World War II and David Hogg who has become a gun control advocate after the Parkland High School shooting. Mr. Velsmid concluded his remarks by asking, “Who will defend our freedom?”
At first I couldn’t put my finger on what was causing my agitation. It finally occurred to me: Mr. Velsmid is comparing apples to oranges.
Audie Murphy was doing his job. He was a trained solider whose mission was clear, and as a U.S. soldier he knew he more than likely would face battle. David Hogg, on the other hand, was a civilian reacting to an emergency situation that was caused by an illegal action in school, an ostensibly peaceful setting.
Both young men deserve commendation, and Audie Murphy received his due. He became a decorated World War II soldier and received the Medal of Honor fighting our nation’s enemy on foreign land.
In a different vein, David Hogg also deserves our admiration for being a passionate young leader, standing up to opposition and giving us an opportunity to fight an enemy on our own land: Mass murderers.
Let’s re-examine the need to pack and carry/own military-style weapons (a far cry from the NRA’s original mission to provide marksmanship training). Hopefully, David’s fight will give us new-found freedoms, such as freedom to walk our streets without worrying who is carrying a gun and freedom to attend school absent the fear that a crazed person might open fire on innocent students.
Audie Murphy defended our freedom in the past; David Hogg and others who want to reign in unnecessary violence have the potential to defend our future freedom. Let’s give David and his supporters a chance to do so.
Marcia Hendershot
Peachtree City, Ga.
