Opinion/Letters: 'We' are not to blame for mass shootings

The response is always the same. “Thoughts and prayers” are offered for the dead and the grieving. Well-intentioned politicians shout out, What are we doing? (Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut) Why are we willing to live with this carnage? Why do we keep letting this happen?” (President Biden) Well-intentioned journalists and pundits beat our collective breast in editorial mea culpas: Why don’t we put an end to this violence? Why are we so paralyzed?

But these are the wrong questions. The simple fact is: “We” are not the problem. A majority of Americans are in favor of ending the insanity that allows any adult — including those still too young to buy a beer — to purchase weapons that have no purpose in civilian hands other than mass murder. The Democratic Party has been actively supporting sensible gun control for decades.

But the Republican Party has blocked and continues to block any and all gun-control legislation. And they continue to do so, year after year, doing the bidding of a minority of Americans — and of the NRA.

They can impose their violent will on us because the current rules of the U.S. Senate — yes, we’re talking about the filibuster here — allow a minority of Senators not just to block any legislation, but to block even consideration of that legislation, by mustering a mere 41 votes. And it’s worth noting that some of those 41 votes come from states with very small populations. In their infinite wisdom, our Founding Fathers wrote a constitution that in our time now gives two Senators apiece to states whose total population is hardly larger than the summer population of Cape Cod. You heard right; this is not an exaggeration.

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So please, no more breast-beating talk about what we are doing wrong or failing to do right. Let’s put the blame where it belongs. They are to blame, plain and simple. And it’s time we ask every family member, friend and neighbor who self-identifies as a Republican to account for what they have enabled and supported for so long. The blood of children is on their hands.

Gregory Baird, South Dennis

Steamship Authority governance rules unfair to mainland ports

In 2021, 56,522 freight trucks headed to and from Martha's Vineyard were carried by the Steamship Authority through Woods Hole and Falmouth. Those trucks pollute our air, threaten our children at their school bus stops and disturb residents day and night. The growth in the number of freight trucks carrying Martha’s Vineyard’s trash, demolition materials, landscaping materials, septic waste, and other non-time-sensitive freight through Falmouth’s residential neighborhoods continues unchecked.

Massachusetts legislators created the Steamship Authority, defined its powers, and set up a governing system that empowered island communities and handcuffed mainland communities. Island communities essentially control our mainland port towns. The island-controlled Steamship Authority damages our neighborhoods and ignores local governing bodies while avoiding tax contributions.

Falmouth must beg for approval for its requests from the Steamship Authority, where the islands hold a complete veto.

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With the Authority the state recuses itself from the decision-making process and gives complete authority to two representatives — one from each island, comprising 70% of the Steamship Authority board vote.

This summer the authority will operate 62 trips daily from 5:30 a.m. to 10:15 p.m. through Woods Hole. That is the equivalent of a surge of cars and freight trucks that occurs every 16 minutes in Woods Hole and Falmouth.

Good faith efforts by many local citizens and organizations to work out compromises with the authority have failed. Sen. Susan Moran’s proposed legislation to change the voting system on the Steamship Authority board has not been supported politically, and at times has triggered derisive, divisive, and dismissive commentary from Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard leaders. Change seems impossible.

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Falmouth is captured by a system that leaves it powerless.

Without legislative attention to the outdated provisions of the Steamship Authority Enabling Act, mainland port communities will continue to be forced to fruitlessly plead their case to a governing body that has proven it will not listen.

We hope our select board and our representatives on Beacon Hill will acknowledge the unfairness of this system, and begin to work for change.

Nathaniel Trumbull, Woods Hole

Biden oversaw many more COVID deaths than Trump

During the final presidential debate in October 2020, Joe Biden said that presiding over the nation as 220,000 Americans died from COVID should disqualify Trump from reelection.

"Anyone who's responsible for that many deaths should not remain president."

To be fair 415,000 in the U.S. died prior to Biden taking office. Now I'm not a math major but over 1 million have now died from COVID. That's over 600,000 under Biden's watch yet he is still president with no comprehensive plan.

According to Biden's logic, shouldn't he resign? Many on Cape Cod would not have done well in Jonestown because they keep drinking the "kool-aid".

Steve Gallant, South Yarmouth

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Letters: Opinion/Letters: 'We' are not to blame for mass shootings