To the Editor:

There are many techniques used by progressives to foster their anti-American ideals. Here are just two: knowingly using statistics in a deceitful way to advance their causes and, two, changing/perverting generally accepted meanings of words and terms to advance their agenda.

So, to the first one, intentionally deceiving people with statistics. Take the use of fake, phony statistics to influence good people into thinking there is a rising, exorbitant increase in gun violence. We have a group here in Newtown, Newtown Action Alliance, dedicated to disarming all Americans and destroying the Second Amendment not honestly/directly, by trying to overthrow the amendment, but rather, by incrementally increasing the already onerous laws governing their use to the point that it's no longer feasible for the average person of average means to own a gun. (Like our Governor Malloy's tripling the fees to register guns.) The statistics used by this gun-ban group are never explained and placed in a context that can be understood by the public. Because this would undermine their ability to shock people. Then, their next step is to shame those who disagree with them on nonexistent, moral grounds. These progressive groups combine a plausible-sounding lie with fake statistics so they can accuse their opponents of immorality. Repeating the lie until the unknowing accede to their wishes.

Now, take changing the meaning of words, in this case, progressive. The average person might reasonably think progressive means advancing the well-being of someone or something. Improving something. Right? In fact, when used by progressives, it means altering traditional ways to accommodate a very specific anti-American/anti-constitutional agenda. Not general betterment, or progression, but destroying principles and beliefs of the USA as contained in the Constitution.

Other well documented changes to the meaning of words are "assault rifle" and "common sense gun laws."

In fact, an assault rifle is a fully automatic gun used in war to kill an enemy. A machine gun. Gun control groups have all agreed to pervert this term to mean semiautomatic hunting rifles that are in wide acceptance in the country but used in an infinitesimally small number of illegal shootings. There is, in fact, no difference in lethality between a semiautomatic pistol and a semiautomatic rifle. And, there are no actual assault rifles/machine guns allowed in our society except in very, very small numbers.

Common sense gun laws is another lie used by progressives to turn the discussion from the evil deeds done by criminals to blaming inanimate objects (guns) for killing people. And to demonize the NRA.

The dyed-in-the-wool progressive thinks there's nothing special about the USA, except its illegal colonial power and continued injustices perpetrated against people of color and third world countries. And, of course, they hate the Second Amendment and its constitutionally guaranteed right for the individual to protect him/her self.

Typically, when a progressive is confronted with the lies and techniques designed to destroy constitutional rights, there's always the same, predictable response. Crickets!

Respectfully submitted,

Peter McLoughlin

26 Pleasant Hill Road, Newtown         February 28, 2017