Paul Oman is a poster boy for what’s wrong with the debate over firearms. Completely devoid of facts, Paul’s letter on Sunday to the Coeur d’Alene Press uses the following terms to describe Americans who would like to keep their firearms: “gun fans,” “berserk,” “minions,” “mentally ill,” “mentally deficient,” “absurd” and “insane.”

Paul, insulting your opponent is what people do when they have no solid basis to have a reasoned discussion, and on a national level that is not only what’s wrong with your treatment of this subject, but also many other leftist hot button issues and our Washington, D.C., leadership in general.

Paul, may I suggest you consider that your position on firearms is based purely upon emotions, and that it is your duty not to engage in a debate of national consequence to all Americans without a grasp of what the rest of us call “facts.” Without facts and reason, you are holding forth purely upon emotion, which is more correctly known as “arguing.” Sure, that feels good, but there is no actual endgame to arguing. No accord. No final decision that one position held sway and was chosen as the path forward.

The best that onlookers to a purely emotional argument can hope for is one day both sides will simply shut up and go back to work. Speaking for myself, I would really, really, really like to see that happen in Washington, D.C.

I have a proposal for you. Read “More Guns, Less Crime,” a weighty book which I have read, and let’s each write a letter to the Coeur d’Alene Press reviewing this book the week before Thanksgiving. It was written by a nationally known economist whose specialty is the science of interpreting large data sets to produce statistically valid conclusions. He concludes (and proves) that firearms in our society protect our most vulnerable citizens — the poor, minorities and women. He uses facts to prove his conclusions, which also include that the presence of defensive firearms in U.S. society is by far the most cost effective strategy to protect all Americans against crime.

So, before you toss in your two cents on wanting to take a right away from Americans that was guaranteed to us by our country’s founding documents, please be ready to debate, rather than insult and demean. Otherwise, you’re just another Kool-Aid drinker.

DOUG MILLER

Hayden