Re: “,” Nov. 5 news story.
After this latest mass shooting in Texas, I, for one, have had enough. When the current state of affairs cannot prevent incidents like this one, it follows that something needs to change. Our politicians, including the one at the top, seem to be unaware of this or unwilling to face it. Their repeated offering of thoughts and prayers has become sickening. To use these words as an excuse for avoiding political action is cowardly and shameful, yet politicians are comfortable speaking this way because it was not their spouse, parent, sibling or child who was murdered. How insulting to the dead, how insulting to their loved ones, to continually present them with thoughts and prayers (as if this were an honor) instead of reforms that could prevent future shootings. To those who have the power to effect change: how can you sleep at night?
Caroline Hedel, Denver
We mourn for the families of victims shot to death in a Sunday morning massacre at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, where 26 people, including children, were killed.
The greatest tribute we can award these souls is the passage of legislation that will limit the sale of guns to minors, felons, spouse abusers, and mentally unstable people; ban the sale and use of high-capacity magazines, bump stocks, semi-automatic, automatic and military style weapons; ban the sale of guns and ammunition on the internet; and pass laws requiring gun owners to register their guns and obtain a license to use them.
Vote for candidates who support gun regulation and reject contributions from the NRA and similar organizations. Together we can transform our society from a culture of gun violence to peace and safety for our citizens.
Ѳ’DDzԲԱ, Denver
The sequence has been repeated so often as to become rote: A mass shooting (this time in Sutherland Springs, Texas), condolences from public officials with “thoughts and prayers” for the victims, the observance of the obligatory moment of silence in the halls of Congress, statements from the National Rifle Association and its allies that itap too soon after the event to discuss gun control legislation, and any attempt to do so would be “politicizing” the tragedy, and a prompt return to business as usual.
This demonstrates the immense control wielded by the NRA, and the appalling hypocrisy of congressional Republicans who propose addressing gun violence by increasing mental health treatment as they scramble to pass a tax plan that would impose draconian funding cuts for mental health and other critical programs in order to provide a huge tax break for the wealthy.
ղ, Denver
It would be nice to not have to be screened at airports or sporting events, like 50 years ago, but most of us accept the additional inconvenience to help insure our safety. And it would also be wonderful if we could identify and treat all people whose mental illness might prompt them to be murderers as well as all persons likely to commit terror acts and then deny them access to assault weapons, but it is pretty clear that will never happen. Why can’t non-dangerous gun owners accept that they do not need assault weapons to hunt or protect their families so that we can prevent dangerous people from using them to commit mass murder? Is that too much “inconvenience” for gun owners to bear to help insure our safety?
ٲ´DZ, Lakewood
There has been yet another shooting, and The Denver Post and other newspapers printed all the gory details along with the name and description of the gunman. The Denver Post even provided a list of previous shootings, including the names of the killers.
I have never considered shooting anyone, and I’m not a mental health expert, but it occurs to me that some of these misguided creatures may be seeking “fame.” I believe that the news media should omit the names of the gunmen. The article could read, “Another stupid person has killed x number of people.”
Ա, Wheat Ridge
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