Who is responsible in shooting by 14-year-old?
Re: “Shooting could echo for life- time,” Sept. 30 Jim Spencer column.
Jim Spencer is onto something when he says kids’ easy access to guns is an issue in the case of Eric Stoneman, the 14-year-old Glenwood Springs boy charged with shooting a friend.
Recently, Silvia Johnson, the Arvada woman who wants to be a “cool mom,” was arrested for allowing a 14-year-old girl to drive her car. Few people would question Johnson’s culpability and lack of responsibility. But in the case of Stoneman, is there a double standard? Stoneman used his mom’s .22-caliber handgun to shoot a 9-year-old companion. There’s no doubt that he is responsible for what happened that fateful day. But to what extent do we consider whether his mom contributed to that tragedy by not adequately denying him access to her handgun? Authorities should thoroughly investigate how he got hold of that gun and whether his mother was negligent.
The problem is that Colorado lacks an adequate law on adult responsibility for securing guns from children. Gov. Bill Owens sponsored such a “safe storage” law when he was in the legislature. I urge him to demonstrate his leadership by promoting such legislation again.
Tom Mauser, Littleton
The writer is president of the Colorado Ceasefire Capital Fund.
Changes to Endangered Species Act
Re: “House approves overhaul of Endangered Species Act,” Sept. 30 news story.
Grizzly bears. Grey wolves. Bald eagles. After 32 years of success, why do you think some people want to gut the Endangered Species Act? Look around you at the development that has taken place in this state in the past 20 years. Do you think that the Endangered Species Act has made a dent in the development of real estate here?
The ESA is the crowning achievement of a society that places the good of remaining wildlife and wild places above the greed of those who will never stop searching for the right to develop every acre of land possible to make a buck.
The wild animals of the United States belong to all of us, including you. They need appropriate habitat in order to survive the additional trials of global warming, pollution, energy development, mining, hunting, vehicle accidents, invasive species, illness, drought, logging and the encroachment of human activities.
Please ask Sens. Wayne Allard and Ken Salazar to vote “no” on proposed changes to the ESA that would, among other things, take away the right to declare land as critical habitat for an endangered species.
Christie Greene, Evergreen
…
I commend Rep. John Salazar, D-Colo., for his vote supporting HR 3824, the Threatened and Endangered Species Act of 2005. This bill provides improvements to help further the recovery of endangered species. Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association has spent many years working with federal government and our members to balance the recovery of species with providing reliable and affordable electricity. We have worked in cooperative programs to recover endangered species. However, these efforts have often been hindered by the existing law of the Endangered Species Act, often with increasing costs for our members.
This new legislation encourages a more active role and recognition of the potential individuals, local governments and states have in recovering species. As we’ve seen with the recent cooperative efforts for the Greater Sage Grouse, communities working together with local citizens are successful.
The Threatened and Endangered Species Act also improves the conservation of the species by focusing resources on actual efforts to recover and conserve rather than costly and ineffective legal actions. We are all benefited when species reach recovery, and it is imperative that we focus resources where they will do the most good.
Mac McLennan, Vice President, External Affairs, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Westminster
State fiscal measures on November ballot
There are a couple of points regarding Referendums C and D that need to be emphasized in the public discussion of these proposals.
First, the opponents are the typical anti-government crowd that tries to dupe the public into believing that when it comes to receiving government services, there really is a “free lunch,” that you can have your services and not have to pay any taxes in return.
Second, another myth is that such state budget reductions will cause no pain of any significance to anyone. The opponents should be pushed to provide a specific plan as to what state programs will be reduced and by how much in order to achieve the $400 million in cuts should C and D fail. Whether you support or oppose the referendums may well depend on whether it will be your ox that is getting gored.
John H. Rea, Denver
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If Referendums C and D do not pass, no one will be able to afford college for their offspring unless they are filthy rich. All state-funded colleges and universities will be forced to go private if they are to survive at all. As a result, businesses will be reluctant to relocate to the state without a solid higher-education infrastructure, and the brain drain, from those who can leave in search of a better education, will be considerable. Ask yourself: Is this what you want for your kids? I doubt it. Vote “yes” on C and D.
Kate Niles, Durango
when he installed an unqualified crony as head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. So the very next time that he has an opportunity to nominate someone to a crucial government post, what does he do? Nominate an unqualified crony.
I’m confused. Is this an example of extreme arrogance or is it that he just doesn’t get it?
Ralph W. Homan, Twin Lakes
Pass on left – right?
What happened to Colorado’s “left-lane law,” which supposedly went into effect in January? Recall that for highways where the speed limit is 65 mph or higher, the left lane is to be used only for passing.
Yet, every day along U.S. 36, I see the same thing: I drive the speed limit in the right lane and encounter maybe two or three cars per mile, but the left lane has a string of bumper-to-bumper traffic as far as the eye can see. I can’t help but laugh. I see so many people who merge onto a freeway and automatically jump in the left lane to join the herd. But they’re not necessarily passing anyone; in fact, most of the time, they’re not moving any faster than I am.
Jason Wolfe, Broomfield
Offensive comments
The rage I felt upon reading former Secretary of Education William Bennett’s remark about reducing crime by aborting black babies, and then his complaint that criticism of him is “stupid, totally without merit,” makes me wonder about the safety and sanity of this country more than ever before. If his comments help to wake up some dormant political activists, then maybe that’s a positive that can come out of his extremely insensitive comments.
Let’s turn his follow-up remarks back on him: Bennett, (why don’t I feel comfortable calling him “Mr.”?), your remarks are “impossible, ridiculous and morally reprehensible.” As you say, since such “extensive extrapolations … are tricky,” your payback is to spend your life in poverty until you learn how to compassionately support others.
Paula Jeane, Denver
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