Virginia Tech killings
Now that Cho Seung-Hui’s “manifesto” has been received by NBC, it seems that common sense is called for. No, I am not speaking about sensible “gun” laws, although that seems like a discussion that is certainly appropriate. The common sense I am calling for is replacing the Colorado judge who refused to unseal all the Columbine records. Let me be the first person to endorse replacing U.S. District Judge Lewis Babcock. Let us trump the rights of the Harris and Klebold families for America’s rights. How many more children have to be murdered before we give the professionals every bit of information that might help them understand, and hopefully prevent another Columbine or Virginia Tech?
Brad Wilson, Denver
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Overwhelmingly, it seems from the letters to the editor that Denver Post readers want to blame the lack of gun control for the horror at Virginia Tech. Certainly we should examine a system that allows a madman to buy a gun. But shouldn’t we also examine a system that says we came from the primordial goo, therefore there is nothing special about us; a system that allows the killing of an average of 1.3 million unborn children each year; a system that is so over-tolerant and pluralistic that the concept of “wrong” only applies when I am inconvenienced; a system where we stress human “rights” – individual radical freedom – over human obligation; a system where “evil” has become an abstract concept, even in our churches? If we are sincere, shouldn’t we look at the whole system? Yet, we live in a democratic republic. Aren’t “we” the system? After all, the “system” in which we find ourselves arises from the collective outworking of ideas in the lives of each of us. Before we finish pointing fingers and assigning blame, shouldn’t we each look in the mirror to see whether what we as individuals believe and promote contributes to a culture of death or to a culture of life?
Michael D. Brown, Arvada
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My heart goes out to the families at Virginia Tech. I cried and prayed on Monday after hearing the news. After seeing The Denver Post’s front page Thursday with the Virginia Tech story, alongside the article on partial birth abortion, I had to wonder if I was the only one who took note of the irony. We grieve, rightly so, over the deaths at Virginia Tech, but many will get worked up over the ban on partial birth abortion. On one hand, it is not OK to kill anyone with guns; we can all get that. But how dare the Supreme Court take away a woman’s right to have her child partially delivered and then killed by hand when it could survive at that point in its life?
Matt Hill, Evergreen
Remembering Columbine
As the sounds of gunshots echoed at Virginia Tech, we felt their recoil here, knowing the pain that their community is experiencing and the long road ahead of them in healing. April 16 is now forever etched in our hearts, as is April 20. Eight years ago, we proclaimed, “We are all Columbine.” Today, we are all Hokies. As we try to comprehend this week’s horrific tragedy, our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and the entire Hokie Nation.
The completion of the Columbine Memorial, with its Inner Ring of Remembrance and Outer Ring of Healing, will be a place to honor the Columbine victims and provide a sanctuary to reflect and hope in light of these tragedies. Let us pause to remember Cassie Bernall, Steven Curnow, Corey DePooter, Kelly Fleming, Matthew Kechter, Daniel Mauser, Daniel Rohrbough, Dave Sanders, Rachael Scott, Isaiah Shoels, John Tomlin, Lauren Townsend, and Kyle Velasquez.
Those wishing to contribute to the Columbine memorial construction fund may do so at columbinememorial.org.
Gary Radtke, Littleton
U.S. attorney firings
Re: “AG Gonzales endures bipartisan onslaught,” April 20 news story.
Poor Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. He truly has his foot in his mouth. He told members of the Senate Judiciary Committee that he “mis- spoke” in earlier testimony that he knew little about the firing of eight U.S. attorneys and played no part in the decision. Never mind that for anyone not in a position of power, that would be “he lied.” Either he continues to lie and has been up to his neck in the sordid affair, or he truly knows nothing about the operation of the Department of Justice. Seems he’s guilty, no matter what: guilty of cupidity or stupidity. Which way does he want it? He says he accepts responsibility for almost everything involved in the DOJ imbroglio. Perhaps instead of accepting responsibility, he should accept accountability, which would mean he would step down.
Lawrence H. Kaufman, Golden
Endangered Species Act
Re: “Grizzlies’ champion says delisting is sound conservation,” April 12 Diane Carman column.
For decades, the Endangered Species Act has been used to victimize property owners, to take away their land, their assets and their livelihoods. In the name of preserving every variant of animal life, the Endangered Species Act has enabled the violation of individual rights in every corner of the country, rights that our government was instituted to protect, not trample upon.
At the expense of human life and human progress, the Endangered Species Act has been used to prevent the construction of dams, irrigation projects, power plants, housing complexes, highways, and many other essential forms of human development.
No law that places the well-being of animals above the well-being of humans should stand.
David Holcberg, Irvine, Calif.
Online extras
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