YOU SAY: Letters to the editor
Be wary of protectors
Since the tragedy at Sandy Hook, one hears frequent comments that Americans don’t need semi-automatic firearms or large-capacity magazines for “hunting.” The Second Amendment has nothing to do with hunting, or even self-protection from criminals. True, those are peripheral “rights” made possible by the amendment, but that’s not why it’s in our Bill of Rights.
The Second Amendment is the means of protecting the citizenry from a government that would usurp or abuse their rights. Unarmed citizens have no protection from a government leaning toward tyranny and a police state. An unarmed nation is left to the mercy of armed criminals and no means to resist a tyrant should one arise. I would urge Americans to view with great caution those who say they will “protect” us.
Marine served, fought
I’m a retired Marine who served and fought with the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines in Vietnam. I now live in Sun City, Texas. Recently, I found this note on my car: “Let me guess. Non-combat government leach ‘veteran’ all you dumbass life.” I realized this illiterate scribble was prompted by the “Veterans for Obama” bumper sticker on my car pasted near a Marine Corps emblem.
Apparently, the dimwit who wrote it can’t wrap his mind around the possibility that combat veterans would support our president. His note also implies that those who served our country in uniform and retired are “leeches,” blood-suckers, feeding off the government. I wonder if he rejects his Social Security payment, probably earned in a safe stateside job while I was in a rice paddy getting shot at. I support his freedom of speech; unfortunately, his mouth does not appear to be connected to a brain.
No need for equal footing
Re: Dec. 23 article, “Pension, health costs challenge city, county.”
There is no reason to allow local governments “to put ... public employees on equal footing with higher-paid counterparts in the private sector.” With few exceptions, government employees have employment security. Their income and benefits should therefore be lower than their private sector counterparts. Private employees constantly face financial jeopardy. They struggle to help create sources of income and struggle to limit costs to existential practicality. Conversely, secure from economic downturn, government employees are sustained by ever higher taxes that always cover the cost of their employment. And while underperformance in private sector can cause dismissal, in government, for the greater good, it is usually absorbed in the system. Government compensation should be corrected downward, not upward.
A society of courage
The senseless and horrific killings at Sandy Hook Elementary have been described by critics as the product of a sick society, consumed by the culture of guns and violence. Our society, our culture and our way of life are not defined by the actions of a coward who preys on defenseless persons and children.
Our culture and our society are defined by the staff who sacrificed their lives for the children; by the brave first responders; by the supportive local community; and by the national community that respectfully mourns. Ours is a society, a culture, of courage, not cowardice.
Perry’s priorities wrong
Re: Dec. 22 commentary, “Put CPRIT on hold pending reforms.”
So, now Gov. Rick Perry no longer has confidence in CPRIT! If Perry would not worry about letting Texans carry guns anywhere they want to and worried more about protecting Texans and their hard-earned money that CPRIT is wasting, we might not have the problems that we are having right now!
GOP forgets conservatism
The Republican Party should change its name to the Anarchist Party. Republicans have renounced conservative values to embrace anarchy when they insist the only way to be safe is by everyone carrying a gun. One of the core principles of conservatism throughout history is that there must be a strong leader with the power to prevent just such a “war of every man against every man.” Providing safety to citizens so they can go about their daily lives without being armed is one of the key reasons for having governments in the first place.
The latest Republican lipflapping about forcing schools to allow guns and arming teachers shows that Republicans would rather live in a failed state like Somalia than consider any sensible regulation of guns at all. Apparently, the Republican motto is “In Guns We Trust.”
Let NRA pay for guards
Re: Dec. 22 article, “NRA calls for armed officers at all schools to prevent violence.”
Wayne LaPierre, the National Rifle Association’s executive director, thinks the way to control gun violence at schools is to have armed guards at every school. I disagree with this, but if he thinks it is such a great idea, then the NRA should pay all expenses for placing these guards. The Austin American-Statesman encourages email and faxes from readers. Please include a full name, address and daytime and evening phone numbers.We edit letters for brevity, grammar, style and clarity. Edited letters address a single idea and do not exceed 150 words.Anonymous letters will not be published. Letters become property of the Austin AmericanStatesman. Send emails to letters@ statesman.com. Mail to: Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 670,Austin,TX 78767.