End the gun madness
This cannot end well. Our workplaces, streets, highways, churches, schools, universities, hospitals, sporting events, hotels, movie theaters, bars, dance halls and concert venues (have I missed any?) are targets of fellow citizens toting instruments of death.
Their only goal is mass murder and the subsequent infamy that the media provides for them. I am sick to death of the excuses put forth for the madness of the perpetrators. To try to profile them has become a ridiculous effort. The only common thread among them is the fact that they use vile weapons against innocent people. That’s it. With each new episode of mayhem, “our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims.”
This repetitive, boring script of our feckless leaders does nothing to heal our sick nation. Prayers do nothing to undo the carnage that has become all too common on our TV screens. What kind of God would allow this? We only feel more helpless than ever, and wonder how many have to die to bring an end to this escalating madness. Barbara Lelich, Mill Valley
The height of hypocrisy
Yet again, we’re being told “this isn’t the time” to talk about how to avoid mass shootings. Tragically, we’ve seen this play many times already.
We know that, for those making this argument, the right time is “never.” Using respect for the dead to avoid taking actions that could have saved their lives is indecency masquerading as decency. It’s the height of cynical hypocrisy. Dany Hacco, Hillsborough
Americans addicted to guns
Guns are the golden calf of American society; an addiction as stated in the words “alcohol, tobacco and firearms.” I grew up in a sporting household and couldn’t wait to get a gun at 12-years-old. My first gun was a .22 rifle. Then my father gave me a 20-gauge shotgun and I was quite good at shooting clay pigeons out of the air. One day, he took me quail hunting and I shot two birds out of the sky.
Holding those once alive warm birds in my hand, I knew I was through with guns and killing, but I ate those birds that night, careful to chew because of the pellets. Even after all the slaughter here and abroad, no one seems to care, from the president on down. We look to our leaders to stop these killings, but they can’t and won’t. The money is too huge an amount. Guns are now a fetish industry, and don’t ever count on President Trump and his cronies to fix this. We are the mice and guns are the cheese. Only the addict can stop their own addiction. This has got to stop. Roger Bournique, Watsonville
Don’t accept gun lobby money
Regarding “Pro-gun bills on move in House” (Oct. 1): We should not just blame the National Rifle Association. We should blame our elected representatives who accept the gun lobby money. If they all refused, we could actually have sensible gun laws.
We should demand that our congressmen/ women publicly state whether or not they accept the donations (”bribes”). I know this is wishful thinking! Merete Aiyer, Oakland