Letters to the Editor 05-19-2000
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Million Mom March - Gun Control - Vanlaningham Scholarship - China Trade - Angels Among Us
Million Mom March
Editor, Times-Union:I need to respond to Mr. Kitson's letter to the editor on Tuesday, May 16. I would like to know how he got the impression that the Mother's Day March was against ownership of guns. Nowhere was it stated in any speech that the march was for taking away the right to own guns. What the march was intended for was to bring to our representatives' attention that there needs to be a better way of checking out who is buying guns. I would like to know what is the problem of having a five-day waiting period before you can take a gun home? No one is saying turn in all your guns, just wait the five days before bringing home a new gun for your collection or use. This will stop some people who shouldn't have guns in their possession. I wish more people would get involved to make the buying of guns have this waiting period. I have read and heard of this argument for several months now, and there are scare tactics being used on both sides of this issue. The gun owners and people belonging to the NRA claim that non-gun owners are trying to take their rights away of owning guns. This simply isn't true. I am one who would like stricter gun laws to include the mandatory five-day waiting period. I also believe that gun owners should be responsible for their guns. I don't believe it is necessary for the young teens to have guns unless they have completed a class on gun safety. We make young teens take and pass a test for a car, so shouldn't we also have the teens take a class and pass a test for gun ownership and usage? I also don't care how many guns a person owns, that is their right as a citizen of this great country or ours. I realize that I am a minority in this state for my opinion on gun laws. But that is what the First Amendment is for, the right to voice my opinion. Even if it is on stricter gun laws.
Mary Jo Stapleton
Warsaw
via e-mail
Gun Control
Editor, Times-Union:Since I'm pretty much done talking on this subject, I ran across this in my e-mail that I figured I'd at least pass on:
In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated. In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated. Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1938 to 1945, 13 million Jews and lots of others, who were unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated. China established gun control in 1935; from 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated. Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated. Uganda established gun control in 1970, from 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated. Cambodia established gun control in 1956, from 1975 to 1977, one million educated people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Known defenseless people rounded up and exterminated in the 20th century because of gun control: 56 million. The next time someone talks in favor of gun control, ask them "Who do YOU want to round up and exterminate?"
With guns, we are citizens. Without them we are subjects. What part do you not understand?
Scott Eddy
via e-mail
Vanlaningham Scholarship
Editor, Times-Union:Amy Vanlaningham of Milford died from a Haitian bullet on May 22, 1984. Twenty-five years of age, she was completing her nurse's degree at Goshen College and had been assigned to Haiti for her study-service trimester. She was returning to her Haitian guest home after having attended an evening Goshen College student meeting when she was shot.
Amy was a committed Christian planning to nurse and assist the poor. She was the type of young lady that every community and church would be proud to claim.
Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Hazel Vanlaningham of Milford, established a scholarship at Goshen College for nursing students in Amy's memory. It is given annually to at least one and sometimes two older students who are returning to college to complete their nursing studies and who could not qualify for other types of financial aid. A contribution to this scholarship fund is but one small way to remember Amy and the things she was planning to do in her life.
Berniece H. Dwyer
Milford
China Trade
Editor, Times-Union:The question isn't whether we should trade with China because we already do that - in fact, U.S. trade with China last year totaled $95 billion.
Instead, the debate is over how we should trade with China and what the rules of the game should be.
Today, there are no rules looking out for people and the environment. That's why U.S. workers are being forced to compete with prison labor and sweatshop labor in China, at wages as low as 13 cents an hour. That's why China competes, unfairly, as one of the worst human rights violators and one of the worst environmental polluters in the world.
Congress must do all it can to correct this moral and economic imbalance. And giving the Chinese government a blank check to continue violating its citizens' basic freedoms by granting China permanent free trade status with no annual reviews of its human rights and trade record is not the answer.
Darrell Baker, chairman
UAW CAP Council
Angels Among Us
Editor, Times-Union:Whenever there is trauma in our lives - whether it has to do with our children, mates, parents (grand), brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles or even good friends - a lot of the time it only deals with me, whether my name is Joe or Joann with an E, someone will pray to God for help with tears in their eyes. Our surroundings blind a lot of us because God has sent his angels to earth to help us when the need arises. These angels do not have wings, they drive large or small vehicles (even SUVs). After the front line angels open us up to remove, repair or even replace our body parts, the second line angels take over our care. Most often they take on the shape of the female. They're tall, short, light hair or dark hair, light skin or dark skin. They even speak other tongues that we don't understand. These angels are wives, mothers, and often, as I am very sad to say, single mothers. Lots of times these angels are verbally abused, even physically abused. They take our blood and give us shots. They do their jobs with a smile on their face, whether they are having a good day or bad, sometimes they have a real bad day and they may need your smile and a "Thank You."
Remember those angels are from our Heavenly Father and pay them respect because they are our gift. Have you ever given our Heavenly Father thanks for putting his angels among us?
Robert "Hot L.Z. Chili" Reed
Warsaw
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- Million Mom March - Gun Control - Vanlaningham Scholarship - China Trade - Angels Among Us
Million Mom March
Editor, Times-Union:I need to respond to Mr. Kitson's letter to the editor on Tuesday, May 16. I would like to know how he got the impression that the Mother's Day March was against ownership of guns. Nowhere was it stated in any speech that the march was for taking away the right to own guns. What the march was intended for was to bring to our representatives' attention that there needs to be a better way of checking out who is buying guns. I would like to know what is the problem of having a five-day waiting period before you can take a gun home? No one is saying turn in all your guns, just wait the five days before bringing home a new gun for your collection or use. This will stop some people who shouldn't have guns in their possession. I wish more people would get involved to make the buying of guns have this waiting period. I have read and heard of this argument for several months now, and there are scare tactics being used on both sides of this issue. The gun owners and people belonging to the NRA claim that non-gun owners are trying to take their rights away of owning guns. This simply isn't true. I am one who would like stricter gun laws to include the mandatory five-day waiting period. I also believe that gun owners should be responsible for their guns. I don't believe it is necessary for the young teens to have guns unless they have completed a class on gun safety. We make young teens take and pass a test for a car, so shouldn't we also have the teens take a class and pass a test for gun ownership and usage? I also don't care how many guns a person owns, that is their right as a citizen of this great country or ours. I realize that I am a minority in this state for my opinion on gun laws. But that is what the First Amendment is for, the right to voice my opinion. Even if it is on stricter gun laws.
Mary Jo Stapleton
Warsaw
via e-mail
Gun Control
Editor, Times-Union:Since I'm pretty much done talking on this subject, I ran across this in my e-mail that I figured I'd at least pass on:
In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated. In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated. Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1938 to 1945, 13 million Jews and lots of others, who were unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated. China established gun control in 1935; from 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated. Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated. Uganda established gun control in 1970, from 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated. Cambodia established gun control in 1956, from 1975 to 1977, one million educated people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Known defenseless people rounded up and exterminated in the 20th century because of gun control: 56 million. The next time someone talks in favor of gun control, ask them "Who do YOU want to round up and exterminate?"
With guns, we are citizens. Without them we are subjects. What part do you not understand?
Scott Eddy
via e-mail
Vanlaningham Scholarship
Editor, Times-Union:Amy Vanlaningham of Milford died from a Haitian bullet on May 22, 1984. Twenty-five years of age, she was completing her nurse's degree at Goshen College and had been assigned to Haiti for her study-service trimester. She was returning to her Haitian guest home after having attended an evening Goshen College student meeting when she was shot.
Amy was a committed Christian planning to nurse and assist the poor. She was the type of young lady that every community and church would be proud to claim.
Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Hazel Vanlaningham of Milford, established a scholarship at Goshen College for nursing students in Amy's memory. It is given annually to at least one and sometimes two older students who are returning to college to complete their nursing studies and who could not qualify for other types of financial aid. A contribution to this scholarship fund is but one small way to remember Amy and the things she was planning to do in her life.
Berniece H. Dwyer
Milford
China Trade
Editor, Times-Union:The question isn't whether we should trade with China because we already do that - in fact, U.S. trade with China last year totaled $95 billion.
Instead, the debate is over how we should trade with China and what the rules of the game should be.
Today, there are no rules looking out for people and the environment. That's why U.S. workers are being forced to compete with prison labor and sweatshop labor in China, at wages as low as 13 cents an hour. That's why China competes, unfairly, as one of the worst human rights violators and one of the worst environmental polluters in the world.
Congress must do all it can to correct this moral and economic imbalance. And giving the Chinese government a blank check to continue violating its citizens' basic freedoms by granting China permanent free trade status with no annual reviews of its human rights and trade record is not the answer.
Darrell Baker, chairman
UAW CAP Council
Angels Among Us
Editor, Times-Union:Whenever there is trauma in our lives - whether it has to do with our children, mates, parents (grand), brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles or even good friends - a lot of the time it only deals with me, whether my name is Joe or Joann with an E, someone will pray to God for help with tears in their eyes. Our surroundings blind a lot of us because God has sent his angels to earth to help us when the need arises. These angels do not have wings, they drive large or small vehicles (even SUVs). After the front line angels open us up to remove, repair or even replace our body parts, the second line angels take over our care. Most often they take on the shape of the female. They're tall, short, light hair or dark hair, light skin or dark skin. They even speak other tongues that we don't understand. These angels are wives, mothers, and often, as I am very sad to say, single mothers. Lots of times these angels are verbally abused, even physically abused. They take our blood and give us shots. They do their jobs with a smile on their face, whether they are having a good day or bad, sometimes they have a real bad day and they may need your smile and a "Thank You."
Remember those angels are from our Heavenly Father and pay them respect because they are our gift. Have you ever given our Heavenly Father thanks for putting his angels among us?
Robert "Hot L.Z. Chili" Reed
Warsaw
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