Today's letters: Readers comment on the Republican Party and school safety
Ashamed
“I admit, I am ashamed of my country.”
These words are from a brave Russian diplomat with decades of foreign service who quit his job as a Russian nuclear arms specialist. He is sick of Putin's war in Ukraine, sick of the gluttony of the billionaires in that country who run and own everything. I agree with this Russian; I, too, am ashamed of my country.
My shame is not unlike his, with some surprising similarities. My country has been overtaken by autocratic politicians and fed huge sums of political campaign monies from dubious billionaire sources just to enable them to remain in power. The NRA gave $50 million to Republicans during the 2020 election. While Americans have not yet even been buried after the slaughter in New York, we are about to bury another 21 innocent souls in Texas. Why would an 18-year-old high school student in Texas be allowed to walk into a gun shop on his 18th birthday and buy two assault weapons?
If we continue to allow morons to buy guns, we will continue this travesty. How in the world can Republicans not get on board with tighter controls for gun ownership? Oh, I forgot, they get their campaign money from gun manufacturers.
Republicans think life is at conception, but they ignore the child after birth. Poor kids need to be fed, housed, clothed, educated and provided medical care. Republicans don't like the social safety nets, but they are going to take away the right of a young woman to do what she feels she must. Imagine if your 15-year-old pregnant daughter or granddaughter came to you for advice — or imagine if you got a phone call that your child or grandchild just got shot and killed in school.
Please think the next time you vote for a Republican. It is the Republican Party and Trump who have gone off track and created such division in our nation.
Michael Perham, Clermont
Turnstyles
Every sane person in America would like to see an end to a mass shooting where some future nut case goes insane, for whatever reason, and murders many people, especially in a school environment.
There is no way to predict when someone will go off the deep end and start shooting people. Banning guns is not the answer.
There is an easy way to keep that future nutcase out of a school hallway and out of school classrooms. And if the school is small — maybe only four or five entrances and exits — it could be cheaper than hiring a full-time armed security guard who might be on the far side of the school campus when this future nutcase comes calling at an entrance on the other side.
Have you been in some of the banks lately? One where there is a metal turnstyle that starts at ankle level and goes to the ceiling? If anyone tries to enter with a firearm, that gate locks and an alarm goes off! That person is going nowhere! He’s not going forward. He can’t go back! In some cases, he can’t even turn around. If he has a rifle, he’s even going to have trouble raising it to shoulder height!
In a school situation, that turnstyle would give school authorities time to call the police.
Sonny Heninger, Leesburg
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This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: June 5 letters: Readers comment on the Republican Party, school safety
