No place for automatic weapons

Manhattan: OK, citizens, now will you stand up to the NRA and all others? Bob Dylan asked: “How many deaths will it take till we know that too many people have died?” The answer may be “blowin’ in the wind,” but it’s actually in our hands and actions. This is not just a mental health issue; it is an ease-of-access-to-guns issue. Enough! No one can take advantage of you, except as you allow them to. Andrew D. Potts Manhattan: I am watching coverage of what is being called “the biggest mass shooting in U.S. history,” but I am not hearing anything about the proximate cause of this massacre: namely, the ready availability of automatic weapons and ammunition in this country. The shooter’s motivation is of interest, but beside the point. When someone with Middle Eastern ties commits mass murder, we call it “terrorism.” When a disturbed person does this, we call it “tragic.” If someone with murderous intent couldn’t obtain automatic weapons, the death toll would go way down. When are we going to combat NRA terrorism by strictly limiting access to military-grade automatic weapons? How many more innocent Americans have to die on the altar of “Second Amendment rights”? Kathryn Nocerino

Arms and the man

Monrovia, Calif.: How did the Vegas shooter get his weapon(s) and ammo into the Mandalay Bay hotel’s 32nd floor, and what’s to prevent this happening again?

Charles A. Gabriels

Nothing changes

Brooklyn: To Voicer Michael Carras: Your ideas will never happen because they make sense. Another day, another mass shooting. We’ll see moments of silence, and politicians’ speeches full of fake empathy. Then they’ll climb back into the pockets of the NRA. Joylene Wisdom

Leave the Nazi alone

Rockaway Beach: My goodness, the guy is 94 years old — why don’t we just let him live out whatever life he has left (“All N.Y.’s reps bid to boot Nazi,” Oct. 2)? Let’s show some mercy to him — and I write this as someone whose father’s whole family as well as extended family died at Auschwitz.

Ruth Graves

Really, Reba

West Islip, L.I.: I would love to know what relative works for the Daily News so that Voicer Reba Shimansky always gets her demented, delusional, chaotic chatter printed. The only powder keg I see about to go off is the writer of this letter. It’s been nine months of hard labor to get this country back on its feet from the destruction of the previous eight years. Carmel Harrigan

End of the anthem

Staten Island: Let’s end disrespect for our American flag once and for all. Stop playing the national anthem at all NFL games since the players do not appreciate the honor. Hopefully this will compel these overpaid crybabies to actually find an effective and result-producing forum for protesting. Let them go into communities all across America and implement programs for mentoring young people. Let them create and lead discussion panels between the neighborhood residents and the police with the goal of developing better communication and understanding between them. Rather than a knee protest, which requires no effort and results in more divisiveness, let them put their money where their mouths are. If every NFL player were to do this, I am certain it would not be too long before we see positive results. Then — and only then — should the national anthem be reinstated at NFL games, affording the players the privilege and the honor to stand, with their right hands over their hearts, to display their respect and allegiance to our flag and to the great United States of America! Lillian Pennino

After the White House

Rockville Centre, L.I.: While Rome burned, Nero fiddled. While Puerto Rico was dying, Trump tweeted. Maybe Lin-Manuel Miranda is right: Trump may be going to you know where for all the damage he is doing (“Tweet and sour,” Oct. 1).

Charley Mullaney

Not a good look

Poughkeepsie, N.Y.: One has to question the motives behind San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz’s video diatribe disparaging U.S. federal support of the ongoing aid effort in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. Mayor Cruz probably should have picked a different place to complain about the level of federal aid than a San Juan warehouse packed to the gills with relief supplies sent by the federal government, or at least should have tried not to deliver her message of disappointment in the lack of adequate U.S. government response while standing in front of pallet after pallet of bottled water and other relief supplies sent there by the U.S. government. The visuals alone made her look very bad. Instead of acting like the mayor of San Juan, Cruz acted like the village idiot. Mark Dorney

Another fund-raiser

Cobleskill, N.Y.: Re “Heckler jeers President Trump’s golf tribute to Puerto Rico storm victims” (Oct. 1): Can the trophy be converted to cash to help hurricane victims? Rose Walker

Can the con con

Brooklyn: On Nov. 7, New Yorkers will have the opportunity to vote whether or not to allow a costly and open-ended state constitutional convention that could rewrite the state’s highest laws. If voters say “yes,” they would be asked to elect 204 convention delegates. Members of the state Legislature and other elected officials, as well as political party leaders, would be allowed to run for these seats. Usually, a sitting official wins if he or she runs. Delegates are guaranteed an annual salary equal to that of a member of the state Assembly, $79,500, whether the convention lasts three months or three years. The convention would meet in Albany in 2019 for an unspecified duration, all at taxpayer expense! A constitutional convention would expose the rights and benefits guaranteed in New York State’s Constitution to alteration or removal. This could result in many workers, especially city and state, having their health benefits, pension benefits and salaries cut or diminished, inflicting hardships on many who worked hard for so long. These delegates could take away even the right to join a union, the right to a free public education and environmental protections. As for corruption in Albany, the delegates will do what is in their best interests, not yours or mine.

Flo Waxman

Ladies first

Danbury, Conn.: Voicer Lorna Sherrick blames Hugh Hefner as one who “defiled the dignity of women everywhere.” While I’m no defender of Hefner, I think Sherrick fails to acknowledge that the women who took money to pose nude share at least some of the responsibility for decreasing the level of female dignity.

Bob Bergin

From one hero to another

Lakewood, N.J.: Congratulations on a well-written, comprehensive story about a very difficult responsibility (“Caring is all you can do,” Oct. 1). And, Chris Zimmerman is DAVID BECKER/GETTY IMAGES the right person for the job of chief hostage negotiator at this time. How do I know? Thirty years ago, I retired as chief negotiator, having succeeded Frank Bolz, the original Hostage Negotiation Team commander. For 44 years, the the team has served NYC well and saved countless lives. Its working partnership with the renowned Emergency Service Unit is somewhat unique and a testament to a true teamwork approach. Robert J. Louden, chief hostage

negotiator, NYPD (ret.)

Speak and listen

Washington: Re “First Amendment lessons for liberals” (Op-Ed, Oct. 1): “To ensure that all students feel respected”? Utopian hogwash. Narcissists never feel respected enough. Deep down, they don’t respect themselves. When they were little children their parents didn’t love them enough, and they’ve been taking it out on the world ever since. And, on a college campus, the proper vehicle for debate is not “protest” but argument. Use your heads, people. Sharon Kass

Blowing up a theory

West Milford, N.J.: To Voicer Cathy Sheehan-Wilson: Yes, we all know why the demolition of the old Kosciuszko Bridge was done on Sunday, the Christian day of worship, and not on Saturday. It’s because Gov. Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio are Jewish.

Betty E. Weisblum