On this date in 1775, agents of the king of England sent troops against his own subjects in Concord, Mass. The goal: Seize the colonial militia’s weapons and head off the insurrection that would become the American Revolution. In the following year, Thomas Jefferson penned the Declaration of Independence, which puts forth the conditions in which a people should “throw off” tyrannical government. He said people have not only the right, but the duty to do so.

Now our country is embroiled in a heated argument as to whether or not we as citizens will maintain our ability to throw off a diseased government. And it appears that the people are foolishly willing to give up this precious liberty by gutting the Second Amendment.

Will a future crisis propel another Hitler-like monster into power? Could he inherit, as did Hitler, a national gun registry? Will there be more genocide? There were at least eight in the 20th century. What will stop that from happening here?

Will future American generations inherit the ability to control government? Or will they be given a Bill of Rights with no right to defend their rights?

Duane Smith, Salt Lake City