Readily available firearms devastated this family
Re: “4 gun bills prompt lawsuit vow,” April 29 news story
I am an 86-year-old independent voter. My husband and I raised four children. I am also, thoughtfully, pro-life, as I see the extreme hypocrisy inherent in party affiliations and positions. Following Gov. Jared Polis’ recent signing of sensible gun safety laws, a gun shop was shown on the evening news. The display of hundreds of high-capacity firearms was frightening. There they were — hundreds of deaths on the wall and in the display cases!
Republicans tout pro-life while promoting killing machines, while Democrats tout pro-life through freedom of abortion. Make no mistake; abortion ends a life and guns kill. Little innocent children, families and the general public are at risk of tempers and growing, deadly, conspiracy theories. Deep, life-long sadness, shock, and despair follow these sudden and unexpected violent deaths.
As a young camper, I enjoyed target shooting. Then, shooting was an enjoyable sport, with no thought for the potential of death in my hands. However, later in life, two of my family members were held at gunpoint by their son. Then, my own son took his life with a rifle. Later my niece, her husband, and his brother were murdered in their home. Most likely all would be alive today had a firearm not been at hand.
The legislation Gov. Polis signed is just plain sensible and responsible. It is only a start, however. So much more is needed! What is happening to those in our society who would deny the value of this reasonable legislation and the lives saved?
Jeanne Schwarz, La Veta
How about a medical-related red flag law database
Certainly, mental health care is critical in the war against gun violence. Right now the only way mental health can prevent gun ownership is if one has been put into care against their wishes, which doesn’t often occur.
No amount of mental health care money can fix things because unless someone reaches out for care, the state of their mental health remains unknown and untreated.
As a pharmacist, I know that narcotic usage is documented by providers using a database to alert pharmacists and other providers of drug-seeking patients. Can’t a database be created that would allow medical providers to alert the ATF (or whichever agency oversees gun purchases) to block or delay gun purchases if the patient has been deemed violent, psychotic, suicidal, severely depressed or otherwise unfit to own a firearm? A medical red flag law, so to speak. We have to do something if we cannot ban these weapons of war from the untrained, unregulated hands in our nation.
Jim Aldridge, Golden
Make government shutdown hit closer to home
Every year, we go through this same old same old. Republicans and Democrats fighting over the national budget or debt limit to avoid a default or government shutdown. They both point accusatory fingers at the other for not getting in line with each other’s demands, while the U.S. citizens have to put up with their childish rantings about each other.
Here’s a thought: How about we tie every Congressional and Senate office staff member’s salaries to the budget, where if their bosses can’t avoid a default or a government shutdown, every one of those staff members will have their paychecks withheld until their bosses get off their collective behinds, grow up and get it done. Do this and you could guarantee there’d never be another fight over the budget again.
JB Adams, Arvada