Letters: Do we really care about children?
Editor's Note: This week's tragic school shooting in Uvalde, Texas prompted an outpouring of letters from readers.
Do we really care about children?
Maybe we just don't care about the lives of our children. Maybe we care more about the ease of getting guns, especially assault-type guns with magazines that hold lots of bullets that can kill people very quickly. Let's face it, we love our guns, and we will do everything in our power to make sure nobody takes our guns from us. We are a country of guns, gun violence, gun carnage and, sadly, that is a fact. If we really cared about the lives of our children, we would have done something about it a long time ago.
Darryl Harris, Lantana
Society late on reasonable gun laws
Another school killing, this time in Texas. It is long past time for the country to adopt a reasonable gun law. How long are Americans going to allow these murders to continue? No other country in the world is plagued by school children and teachers being murdered. It is time for gun control to become a reality in the United States of America.
If it does not start, now, we will suffer another shooting of our young children. How long is it going to be, before Americans take the steps to protect the most vulnerable amongst us, our children?
Sharon Castrillon, Boynton Beach
Put elected officials on notice
Enough. Congress must vote on a strong bill to control gun violence and the purchase of weapons. Any elected official who votes against this bill should be held morally responsible for the death of murdered children. That means our two senators, Marco Rubio and Rick Scott.
Paul LaKind. Palm Beach Gardens
Guns too easy to get
With the Uvalde massacre, there have been 199 mass shootings in the U.S. in the first five months of 2022. The motives are many and varied. There is but one means. Our country is awash in firearms. Their easy availability is killing our children and countless adults. Most gun owners favor universal background investigations and expansion of the time required to conduct them. Even Justice Antonin Scalia's Heller decision allowed reasonable restrictions. Those who proudly declaim they are pro-life in opposing abortion must act on behalf of all lives, in supporting sane gun control measures. What will it take to stop the carnage?
Deborah Jason, Palm Beach Gardens
Republicans, a big part of the problem
So here we are again. More babies have been killed by a young man with an Ak-15 and tactical gear. Since Republicans are the majority holding up tighter gun legislation, it begs the question, "Why?” Why did 50 senators refuse to vote on background checks for people who want to own firearms? Whose rights are they protecting?
Certainly not the children. Where is their conscience in trying to satisfy their base to stay in power? Do they believe in guns at any cost, including our innocent children's lives? Republicans claim to be so pro-life that they impose their will and religious views on women across the board, often leaving them (and their children) impoverished, physically and psychologically damaged. They tell businesses they can't require masks or vaccines to make the lives of their employees safer. They tell teachers what they can teach and say in the classrooms (about gender issues), putting the lives of children who struggle at risk of suicide because they are silenced. Yet, Republicans desire open-carry and freedom to own any gun they like, so any life can be taken by anyone at any time.
Hypocrisy and love of power prevail under the Republican platform. After the Uvalde shooting, Republicans cannot wipe the blood off their hands. They are complicit in the deaths of children at Robb Elementary, Sandy Hook, Marjory Stoneham Douglas, and more. Pro-life applies to more than what Republicans want to cherry pick in order to feed their greed and power. Under present legislation, we are destined to fail as a society.
Linda Fore, Jupiter
Voters can make a difference
Once again we see another mass shooting. This time children's lives again taken because our politicians never act. Until the voters who say they care about such things make their politicians pay at the polls, nothing will change. Look at the past years where legislation to limit and control gun access and ownership have come to a vote. It is the Republicans, plain and simple, who never, never cast votes for the legislation and often by filibuster won't let it come to the floor for discussion. If you consider yourself a Republican who cares about the endless slaughter in this country, never vote for a Republican who will not support sensible gun control. Good luck finding any. Your choice for the children should be giving the party that has tried to pass sensible gun control your vote. You don’t have to become a Democrat, you just have to put your vote where it will help stop the carnage. The time for talking is over.
Anthony J Barbieri, Lantana
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Children keep dying from gun violence as elected officials do nothing
