Letters to the Editor

Readers write: Letters to the editor, February 25, 2018

Take country back from NRA

No, U.S. Rep. Don Young, many Alaskans did not grow up here in a culture of taking guns to school 40 years ago. Thus I do not understand your perspective on guns, nor you and Sen. Murkowski accepting money from and supporting the NRA instead of agreeing to a few laws that could actually decrease the high gun deaths in our state. The answer is not more guns, especially in the hands of those who don't want them — teachers.

How could having background checks, registers for domestic violence, and banning the automatic rifles meant for military affect the right to own a lesser gun for hunting? Leave the military guns to the military, that's what the Second Amendment was addressing.

Besides that, how can any gun be a match for a greater threat for war — nuclear?

We vote, and now is the time to take our government back from ownership by the NRA.

— S. Winfree
Anchorage

[The 'club no one wants to join': Mass shooting survivors find solace in one another]

ADVERTISEMENT

Let's start dialogue on guns

Thanks to "gun guy" Steve Meyer for showing the courage to admit publicly that this country has a gun problem. If a few million more of us responsible gun owners would do the same, we could begin a national dialogue that eventually would move the needle toward a safer and saner nation.

Thanks also to the courageous students and parents who stood up this last week and demanded action on guns, but by focusing on school massacres they allowed the NRA another opportunity to create a diversion. Wayne LaPierre quickly came out blaming the schools, the parents, and the FBI. Don Young blames video games. Guns don't kill people, school administrators, parents and games kill people.

This isn't just about a few dozen dead kids gunned down at school, it's tens of thousands of kids and adults gunned down all over the country in recent years, not counting suicides. We need vastly better mental health screening and treatment, to be sure. But most shooters are not diagnosed as mentally ill. And remember: every country has mentally ill people but only one has an epidemic of gun violence. Because only one country is awash in military-style weapons and handguns.

NRA membership comprises only 20 percent of U.S. gun owners and a mere 1.5 percent of Americans, but currently it controls the national discussion. The rest of us, who own and enjoy responsibly using guns, are letting the radical fringe hold us hostage to their agenda. Mr. Meyer is right, it's time to start a reasonable dialogue.

— Terry Johnson
Anchorage

How's gun control in Chicago?

Want that Nirvana peace which comes with strict gun control?

Move to Chicago.

— Ken Smith
Anchorage

Gun owners should boycott NRA

As most Alaskans do, I support gun ownership. I do not support open access to semi-automatic rifles. I support the survivors of the recent shooting in Florida and their calls for more restrictive gun laws. I do not support the NRA. I will not support any candidate for public office who accepts money from the NRA. Responsible gun owners should boycott the NRA and ban together to establish a new organization that represents and advocates for responsible gun owners, not the arms industry. I ask our Congress people, especially Murkowski and Young (see ADN, Feb. 21), to follow suit.

— Sharman Haley
Anchorage

The views expressed here are the writers' own and are not necessarily endorsed by the Anchorage Daily News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a letter under 200 words for consideration, email letters@adn.com, or click here to submit via any web browser. Submitting a letter to the editor constitutes granting permission for it to be edited for clarity, accuracy and brevity. Send longer works of opinion to commentary@adn.com.

ADVERTISEMENT