Letters to the editor: Voting, extremism, guns

Valid election

To the Idaho Secretary of State and the county clerks of Idaho: With the president and others in the federal administration suggesting problems with mail-in voting, it is imperative that all of you assure the citizens of Idaho of the security of our ballots and the validity of the final vote count.

It is important that you do that prior to the election. In each election cycle there are results in local races that are determined by a close vote or are upsets. Trying to assure the loser and his or her supporters that the vote count is not suspect will be hard if the first time they receive assurances about our voting system is after the election.

Each of you should take every chance between now and the election using all forms of media to assure us that Idaho’s votes will be free of fraud and the results of each election will be valid.

Kirk Hall, Boise

Extremism

The Party of Lincoln has become the Party of Bullying and Intimidation, and no one in supposed authority shows any inclination to take any action without extreme provocation. The go-to move of conservatives everywhere in America, and in Idaho in particular, has become gathering in large, heavily armed groups to harass and intimidate people, and this has only gotten worse since they elected a draft-dodging president who is a coward and a bully. Should a cop dare to arrest one of their number, they gather outside his house. When told that wearing a mask is for the public benefit, they scream and rant like a spoiled 4-year-old (and claim it is akin to slavery? Really?) When told to limit their number at a public function, they shove people and destroy public property. When a public leader actually stands up to the mob, they gather outside their homes and frighten their children. Shameful! People are going to get seriously hurt if this keeps up.

When did this become okay? What ever happened to responsibility, manners and decent behavior? Is there no one in the conservative side with enough integrity to even speak up about this?

Jeff Crowell, Meridian

Gun rights

I am a lifelong resident of Idaho and a gun owner. However, I am deeply concerned about our Legislature’s overly liberal interpretation of the Second Amendment. Allowing all citizens and non-citizens in the state to carry concealed weapons without a permit is a recipe for disaster. I don’t believe that is what the framers had in mind when the Second Amendment was added to the Constitution. In those days, the available weapons were single-shot muskets and pistols, and nearly all citizens were experienced gun users. Allowing many very inexperienced gun owners to walk and drive around with high-capacity magazine, semi-automatic pistols in their pocket or purse is irresponsible. The potential for collateral damage is enormous. I learned proper gun handling and safety as a young person. Many gun owners in Idaho simply do not have the proper training and expertise to safely carry concealed or even open carry weapons. I am not opposed to concealed or open carry, but I do believe, at a minimum, that a concealed carry permit should only be allowed after class and range training is completed to show proficiency in the responsible and safe handling of a concealed weapon.

Robert S. Bruce, Eagle