Letters to the editor: Guns, putting people above things
Background checks
With the unfortunate slaying of children and adults in Buffalo and Texas one wonders why politicians and people fight against improved background checks and training for gun owners.
The police have to undergo background and psychological tests and pass a rigorous marksmanship test.
So if a regular citizen has to pass a written and practical test to get a driver’s license, why should they not have to pass the same rigorous procedures as the police to get a license for a weapon?
The police in the Texas slaughter were too afraid to go up against a regular citizen wearing tactical gear and using an AR-15. If you really believe that “Blue Lives” matter, then why not make their job easier and make it harder for someone to carry a gun? If the police decide protecting the public is too dangerous, I really can’t blame them.
Let’s require police like licensing before anyone can carry a gun. It will make the U.S. a lot safer for all of us and those who can pass the tests can still have their gun.
Barry Roth, Eagle
People above things
When my family and I lived in the South, many people wore bracelets with the letters W.W.J.D. (“What Would Jesus Do”). I wore one for a while, as a reminder of how I should make decisions during my hectic day. My good friend Kelly Woods died recently, far too young. Kelly was exceptional in so many ways, he was a successful businessman, great husband, awesome father, and wonderful friend. Kelly’s biggest attribute was the way he consistently focused on “people” above “things”. This might not sound like a big deal but think about whether you can really put the people around you, whether they are friends or just someone you run into on the street, above the things in your life. While I’m not making a comparison between Kelly and Jesus, I will think about W.W.K.D. (“What Would Kelly Do”) and do my best to emulate his example of putting the people I interact with daily over the things I have or want.
Scott Schoenherr, Boise
‘Well-regulated’
When I returned from basic training, I mentioned to my father that I wouldn’t mind owning one of those semiautomatic rifles we had trained with.
My father, who was an NRA member, replied that the only kind of gun a man needed for hunting was a lever-action or a bolt-action rifle.
His words come back to me every time I learn about another mass shooting carried out with semi-automatic weapons.
There is no reason for anyone to own such weapons. The Second Amendment is clear — only “well-regulated militias” (i.e., National Guard) can have such weapons.
If Congress can raise the minimum age for tobacco use to 21, why, at least, can’t they raise the minimum age for guns to 21?
And why don’t Republicans care about protecting the lives of children after they leave the womb?
Gary L. Bennett, Boise
Guns
GOP: What are you doing? Your constituents are being killed every day by people with military style guns! Why are you not doing more to protect men, women and children from this carnage? You have advocated the same thing over and over! More guns, good guys with guns, and ignoring the problem is not working! The massacres are only getting more frequent by the day!
Children, young people, and grieving parents have begged for you to do something, but you keep turning a deaf ear! Sadly, the people you are listening to are the NRA, the gun manufacturers, and other gun advocates! I did not know that the number of gun manufacturers who produce AR-style guns for J.Q. public has increased to 500 companies in recent years! This must be a huge money maker! They then encouraged you with money to make laws that do not hold them accountable when people misuse their products! Is the blood money really worth it to you morally to keep dodging action on sane gun laws? Police are out gunned, and innocent people are out gunned, but you want teachers to handle this mess?
Thoughts and prayers have not worked!
Margaret Anderson, Boise