Letters to the Editor: Nov. 3, 2023
Making a difference
Another week, another mass shooting getting national attention.
We have so many mass shootings in America, I’m not sure how many fatalities are now required to make national news. Certainly, though, the 18 lives lost in Maine meets the requirement.
This kind of mass casualty event doesn’t happen in other developed countries with such regularity. We are number one in this heartbreaking statistic.
There’s no need to continue down this path. Insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different outcome.
Sadly, we have politicians here who are only willing to offer thoughts and prayers for the victims in the face of such headlines. Well, it’s clear that strategy is not working!
We have a new House Leader in Michael Johnson. When asked what we should do in response to the Maine tragedy, he offered prayers for the country and the victims.
Unfortunately, too many elected leaders are indebted to the organizations who give them money for their very expensive campaigns. Among them is the National Rifle Association, which pours millions into buying politicians willing to exchange innocent blood for campaign infusions.
The NRA used to be led by its millions of American members. Back then, it focused on safe gun operation for hunting and self-defense – a noble purpose.
Well, it’s no longer led by its members, most of whom support common sense gun safety measures. It’s become a lobby for gun manufacturers, which, concerned only with profits, pour in money to buy votes.
Fortunately, we have a choice because we can vote.
Research your candidates, whether local or national. Determine if they are willing to take on the gun lobby and stand up for common sense gun safety measures.
We can do this. We’ve have had great success when we’ve pulled together.
Phil Forve
McMinnville
Just say no
With a simple internet search, you learn that Israel has a population of less than 10 million and a gross domestic product of about $455 billion. That compares to a population of 340 million and GDP of $27 trillion for the U.S
If you look a little closer, you learn that between $3 billion and $4 billion in U.S. taxpayer money is given to Israel annually, free of charge. Essentially, the only reason Israel can exist as a country is through subsidy from the U.S. Taxpayer.
Yet this small country, with virtually no means to sustain itself economically on its own, has a hold on the American political class like no other. The daily pandering to Israel by our politicians, and the talking heads in the mainstream media, is mindboggling.
How far will they go? Do they have any idea what they are doing?
Does anyone really believe Israel acts in the best interests of the United States?
If you say “yes,” then consider the 34 personnel killed and 171 wounded when the Israeli Air Force and Navy attacked the USS Liberty in international waters on June 7, 1967, during the Six-Day War Israel fought with neighboring Arab states. That unprovoked attack, which Israel blamed on mistaken identity, was hidden from the American public for many years and many of the relevant documents still remain classified today.
In fact, the Israeli government only acts in what it believes to be its best interest. It’s about time that the “out of touch with reality” American political class and their scions start doing the same.
No amount of money, weapons and blood sent to Israel — or Ukraine for that matter — is going to make America great again.
Larry Treadwell
Sheridan
Comments
TroyProuty*
Part I
Measure 114, despite the "Rights" take on it, was a huge compromise. It didn't ban AR-15's, it limited Magazine capacity, so others could escape during re-load, or police were given time to act. We know in the past re-loading has allowed both to happen previously.
The argument that guns aren't the problem, people are. So why would you give the "Problem" a gun without background checks? Makes literally no sense.
They even complained about "safety classes" Really? Which includes discussion of suicide prevention prevention (Leading cause of gun death) historically.
In 1958, ArmaLite submitted ten AR-15s and one hundred 25-round magazines for CONARC testing The tests found that a five to seven man team armed with AR-15s had the same firepower as an 11 man team armed with M14s and soldiers armed with AR-15s could also carry three times more ammunition than those armed with M14s (649 rounds vs. 220 rounds
Advanced weapons of war, were never intended for personal use.
TroyProuty*
Part II
The constitutional guarantee that persons have the right to "bear arms" does not mean that all individuals have an unrestricted right to carry or use personal weapons in all circumstances. For example, the danger of firearms was recognized shortly after the development of gunpowder. The English Statute of Northampton in 1327 forbade persons to ride at night carrying a firearm for the purpose of terrifying the the people. In a 1678 Massachusetts law forbade shooting near any house, barn, garden, or highway in any town where a person may be "killed, wounded, or otherwise damaged." The courts of many states have upheld statutes which restrict the possession or manner of carrying personal weapons. The reasoning of the courts is generally that a regulation is valid if the aim of public safety does not frustrate the guarantees of the state constitution. For example many courts have upheld statutes prohibiting the carrying of concealed weapons, see, e.g., State v. Hart, 66 Idaho 217, 157 P.2d 72 (1945); and statutes prohibiting possession of firearms by felons, see, e.g., State v. Cartwright, 246 Or. 120, 418 P.2d 822 (1966). Firearms equipped with high-capacity magazines are estimated to account for 22 to 36% of crime guns in most places.Estimates also suggest that nearly 40% of crime guns used in serious violent crimes, including murders of law enforcement officers, are equipped with high-capacity magazines.>The share of recovered crime guns equipped with large capacity magazines increased by between 49 and 112% in several major cities—and an estimated 33% nationally—after the 1994 federal ban on assault weapons and large capacity magazines expired.