Letters to the Editor: The 2nd Amendment is a $280-billion mistake. Repeal and replace it

To the editor: With the mass murder in San Jose adding to the sad history of America's gun violence epidemic, it's way overdue to repeal and replace the 2nd Amendment. Piecemeal gun control laws passed by states no longer stem this tide of blood.

Replace the amendment with the right to keep guns for home protection and hunting; close all background check loopholes; ban all assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines; confine banned weapons to gun clubs only; develop banned-gun buyback programs; and improve mental health outreach efforts.

While the San Jose shooter used legal handguns, he possessed an astounding 32 high-capacity magazines holding 12 bullets each, which are illegal in California.

According to the group Everytown for Gun Safety, Americans spend $280 billion annually to treat gun injuries, bury the fallen and investigate shootings. We need to urge our leaders to stop wringing their hands and repeal and replace the 2nd Amendment.

Bob Ladendorf, Los Angeles

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To the editor: I write this to every California millionaire, billionaire, celebrity, actor, musician, athlete, entertainer and business owner who has called for some form of gun control.

I am a conservative white male from Georgia who owns several guns and lots of ammunition. I know this will shock some, but this is how life is in Georgia for some people. I earn $39,000 a year as a state employee and cannot even afford to put my children through college.

I am willing to part with my guns and ammunition for $100,000. This is a small amount of money for the rich and the elite, but this would be life changing for my family.

If you really want to make a difference with your professed support for gun control, put your money where your mouth is and make some actual changes that will make a difference.

Tracy Gaddis, Hull, Ga.

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To the editor: If it seems like nothing changes from one massacre to the next, that's because nothing does.

Congressional Republicans have so far refused to consider reasonable gun control. In other words, they offer nothing to assuage the heartbreak and outrage that these horrific shootings bring. It seems like they are only interested in their base, their reelection and their money.

Maybe one way to get their attention would be to sue them.

If you are a lawmaker and you refuse to consider any kind of gun reform, in my opinion, you are guilty of dereliction of duty. These people were elected to pass laws that help and protect the American people. I don't see that happening.

Someone has to finally take responsibility for the gun carnage in our country. Perhaps things would change if these naysayers were forced to reconsider their agendas and held morally and financially responsible.

People may say, "Oh, you can't do that." Why not? The result of their lack of responsibility is crystal clear. They just don't care. Let's make them care.

Linda Cooper, Studio City

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To the editor: Gov. Gavin Newsom asked, "What the hell is wrong with us?" Having lived on three different continents — Europe, Australia and North America — I can assure him that Americans are no worse or better than any of the people living elsewhere.

However, America is founded on individualism, making gun ownership an inalienable right, while many other nations espouse a more collectivist mind-set and the easy availability of guns is an anathema.

Our individualism is the reason we have so many mass shootings, and until the bloodbaths begin to touch every American personally, I do not see change coming.

Anneke Mendiola, Santa Ana

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To the editor: Predictably, after yet another high-profile shooting in America (the 232nd mass shooting of 2021, according to the Gun Violence Archive), attention is focused on the shooter's motive.

Does the shooter's motive matter? Is there a motive that would make this latest mass shooting acceptable?

Rather than pondering why he did it, shouldn't the first question be how he did it? How did the shooter acquire the tool of mass murder? How do our lax gun control policies enable mass shootings to continue unabated? How can we lessen the likelihood of the next mass murder?

We must demand that our legislators do more by standing up to the gun lobby and passing sweeping gun safety reforms supported by the majority of Americans. Lives depend on it.

Loren Lieb, Northridge

The writer is chairwoman of Women Against Gun Violence.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.