Letters: Louisville responds to mass shooting at Old National Bank, 'Do something!'

Editor's note: Courier Journal readers have been writing to the newspaper from around the world about the Old National Bank mass shooting that happened on April 11. These are a selection of letters from Kentucky residents.

Do something!

Sens. Mitch McConnell, Rand Paul and all Republicans in Kentucky and elsewhere, please spare us your offerings of “Thoughts and Prayers” regarding this latest atrocity here in Louisville. Your prayers have proven ineffective unless they are addressed to some god of chaos and despair. Your thoughts would seem to be influenced not by compassion or even common sense, but rather the dictates of the NRA.

If you wish to convince us of your sadness and your alarm at the loss these precious lives here and in Nashville, Uvalde, and throughout our troubled country, then, by all means pray; pray to the deity you profess to believe in. And, yes, please think! Think about the gun control legislation that the parents, the spouses, the loving relatives and friends of those that have been murdered have been begging you to enact. Stand in their shoes for just a moment and imagine what they’ve had to endure.

If you truly want to convince us of your sincerity then don’t insult those who are grieving with the saccharine prose of a Hallmark card. Do something!

William McNulty, 40206

Americans worship guns.

Americans worship guns. We cherish lethal weapons more than safety or common sense or even life itself. Unless we’re willing to pass strong gun control legislation and stop the contagion of mass slaughter, we might as well take down the baseball bat in front of Slugger Museum and replace it with an AR-15.Rev. Isaac McDaniel, 40205

Nashville is already old news

What a sad sad day after observing Easter, Passover and Ramadan. Nashville, you are now "old news" as our fair city of Louisville is in the national spotlight only days after the horrendous shooting deaths in your town. Who will be next in the headlines in the days to come? Almost a dozen people returning to work and weekday activities after a beautiful sunny Spring weekend are now dead or critically injured. Their lives and the lives of their loved ones will never be the same. Never! And an entire population lives in fear of going to any public place...a bank, school, mall, church/temple/synagogue, grocery store, concert...the list is endless. And the politicians will turn their heads, plug their ears, close their eyes and zip their lips. Oh, a few may utter their "thoughts and prayers"...little to no comfort to those who have suffered this preventable loss. Then in the days to come these same law and policy makers will stand up and tout the "Second Amendment" lie of the right of every citizen, indeed down to the age of 18, to carry a military-style weapon into any public place so we can all feel "safe"! What will it take to change the hearts and souls of the lawmakers whom we elect to represent and protect our children and families?! What?!

Bryan Carter, Ph.D., 40207

America's new favorite pastime

“ And then it was Louisville’s turn…

A city turning its eyes toward Spring and to the time when it opens its arms to world for the “Greatest Two Minutes in Sports” must gaze upon and contemplate the most predictable two minutes in America.

The police proudly and rightly state that their personnel were on scene within 3 minutes of the call. Heroic responders who put their lives on the line to save lives. All true, and they deserve accolades.

Little comfort that is to the families of those killed in those three minutes. Or to a community who will now go to baseball games right next to the scene of what seems to be becoming America’s new pastime.

But that’s ok, time no doubt will heal that wound on East Main Street. Leaving a scar that one day will be no more than a faint reminder of the tragedy that occurred.

For you see, in a country where days with body counts are routine, there is little choice but to go about your life and wait for the next tragedy.

And then it was __________’s turn…”

Jay Reeves, Louisville native now living in Germany.

Politicians seem to ignore the word sense

As a long time member of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense, the word that so many politicians seem to ignore is the word "sense." They lose sight of the need for safe storage, for background checks. There is no need for anyone to have assault weapons. None. Yet here we are again, in the spotlight for a mass shooting in our own city. Why? Because someone, with the help of the GOP in our state legislature, was able to acquire one, plot and stream his intentions to do harm. Shame on those who aided and abetted him by refusing to protect those whom they were elected to serve and protect. This is on you. Enough is enough. Do the right thing, and enact common sense gun laws.

Pat Bush, 40205

More: Editorial: Louisville mourns mass shooting and legislative stubbornness.

Kentucky is in a unique position to act.

Another mass shooting. The larger tragedy is that it's likely to happen again and we’re unlikely to do anything about it.

Kentucky is in a unique position to act. Our senior senator and minority leader Mitch McConnell should use his leadership to pass common sense gun safety measures that have been demonstrated to save lives, not a watered-down bill that does not address the real problem.

In 2004, a 10-year ban on assault rifles ended. Since then, mass shootings have increased exponentially. As a result, now we need to worry about sending our kids to school, or sitting in a bank conference room.

We are the only civilized country to allow such use of guns, and it’s because of the gun lobby. The NRA used to stand for gun safety until it started taking money from gun manufacturers. Now it only cares about selling as many guns as possible and funding politicians to do their bidding.

We must ban high-capacity ammunition and the use of assault rifles. How can Sen. Mitch McConnell and other Republicans live with themselves if they don’t do all they can to save lives and stop the mass shootings that are all too common throughout the United States?

Laurie Adams, 40241

Proud of our police response

I am so proud of the Louisville Metro Police Department, how they responded and how they reacted on Monday morning at Old National Bank. And yet at the same time, I am so frustrated that every time there is a shooting , all I can do is write to my Senators and Representatives and tell them how I feel. I am not proud of our Frankfort and U.S. elected officials and their response to our escalating gun violence and shooting epidemic.

Here is something I don’t understand, every time one of these horrific shootings happens, in Nashville, Louisville, wherever, why don’t our police officers speak up and ask for an end to private citizens being allowed to purchase assault rifles like AR 15’s? Why don’t the police say how important red flags laws would be in helping them to get guns away from troubled individuals ? Maybe I am naïve, but I do believe that law enforcement standing up and saying enough is enough just might make a difference.

Sharon Bensinger, 40205

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Letters from Louisville community on mass shooting, 'Do something!'