No impact from gun buy-backs
I am responding to a couple of items published in your Feb. 17 edition.
First of all, the article “Police, volunteers planning a gun buy back for Valley”. Another feel-good project that will do absolutely nothing to reduce gun violence. Heck, I have an old .22 pistol that I purchased 40 years ago for $18 that only fires about every other time that the trigger is pulled. Hmm, a $100 gift card? I might just consider it.
The most laughable comment that I found in the article was a quote by Geri Black, one of the organizers of the event. She states, “The project is styled after similar initiatives in Chicago.” Wow, how’s that working out in Chicago, the city with some of the strictest gun laws in the United States and also the nation’s highest murder rate? I say go ahead with your project, it won’t hurt but then again it won’t help either.
Next, I would like to comment on a letter to the editor from Ms. Shirley Thomas. She finally admits to doing some research on gun sales at gun shows and research is always good before spouting off in the opinion section of the paper.
Why do people want to own military style weapons like the AR-15 with high capacity magazines? One simple reason, because we can as free people covered by the Second Amendment to the Constitution.
So let’s limit magazine capacities to 10 rounds? It takes a mere matter of two seconds to drop an empty magazine and replace it with another loaded with 10 more rounds. Do you really think that this will stop a killer from his or her intent to perform mass murder.
Again, the only way to stop this type of crime from happening is another person with a gun. You can’t depend on the response time of law enforcement to prevent these killings. Please explain one new gun restriction being offered by the president or the left that will prevent these type of mass murders from happening in the future.
I can answer that question in three words, none of them. They are all feel-good legislation that does nothing to prevent crime. All that they manage to do is to punish law-abiding citizens.
I have a simple solution. Enforce the laws already on the books. Also propose legislation that makes the use of any firearm used in the commission of a crime a federal offense, with mandatory sentence of 10 years with no exceptions. This will never happen because the left would view this as too cruel.
In closing, Ms. Thomas alludes to her husband’s gun safe and how she would have no problem taking down the ID number. I am assuming she means the serial numbers, and registering her husband’s guns with the government. She states, “I would rather register my husband’s guns than have them stolen and used in a crime or used to kill an innocent human being.” How will having your guns registered stop them from being stolen and used to commit a crime?
I suggest to Ms. Thomas that you do more research before writing your letters and stop watching MSNBC and the other left-leaning mainstream media outlets.
— Richard Hoffman
Clinton
Make health care a state priority
Do you know anyone who has had to file bankruptcy because of medical bills? Do you ever have to choose between medicine and paying your rent or utility bill? Indiana has an opportunity to expand Medicaid coverage for up to 450,000 low-income Hoosiers.
In additional to improving people’s health, Medicaid expansion is expected to create 30,000 skilled, good-paying jobs. Medicaid expansion will help reduce insurance premiums that we all pay through cost-shifts resulting from the uninsured. Our federal tax dollars will provide 100 percent of the funding for this expansion in the first three years and at least 90 percent of the costs in the future.
Indiana Coalition for Human Services believes that state health policy should prioritize access to quality, affordable health care for all. We believe all Hoosiers benefit from having healthier residents and taking advantage of opportunities to leverage federal dollars in our state. If you want the state to act on the single most important issue other than the budget this legislative session, let policymakers know you want them to prioritize Medicaid expansion. Tell them you want our federal tax dollars spent here in Indiana.
— David Sklar
Indianapolis
Opinion
READERS' FORUM: March 11, 2013
- Opinion
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RONN MOTT: Frustration
For those who know me well, they can say without contradiction I am not a patient man. But in this hustle and bustle world I’ve been a part of all my adult life, I’ve had to learn a little patience. On occasion, however, I find some experiences extremely frustrating.
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EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news: MVC tourney an event worth having
It’s been a long time since the Missouri Valley Conference chose Indiana State University to host its post-season baseball tournament, but Terre Haute had never been more prepared for an event such as this.
- READERS' FORUM: May 23, 2013
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EDITORIAL: Cleaning up voter rolls
It’s not a lot of money in the big scheme of things, but the $2 million designated in the recent session of the General Assembly will begin the messy but necessary process of cleaning up Indiana’s voter registration rolls.
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READERS' FORUM: May 22, 2013
Rich history all along the river
Great work by Duke employees
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RONN MOTT: Rabid Republicans
The so-called news people at Fox News can hardly sit still long enough to report on the latest gossip or untruth about our sitting President. They can hardly contain themselves.
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READERS’ FORUM: May 21, 2013
• Great response to annual golf outing
• Doing your part on climate change
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LIZ CIANCONE: Smell of fresh air gave way to dryers
Remember when clean clothes smelled like fresh air and sunshine rather than fabric softener and dryer sheets?
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READERS' FORUM: May 20, 2013
The dangers of a little knowledge
Students enjoyed Rose study trip
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Mark Bennett: High-profile mural connects historical dots from city to river
At 96 feet wide and 2 stories tall, the power, impact and value of the Wabash will be evident.
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EDITORIAL: Waging the ‘readiness’ campaign
Almost every Hoosier who starts college intends to finish. Unfortunately, those who arrive on campus unprepared in key academic areas are far less likely to fulfill that aspiration.
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READERS' FORUM: May 19, 2013
• Flawed reasoning on gun checks
• A hint of things yet to come?
• Are the ‘makers’ doing the ‘taking’?
• The ‘Obamination’ is finally revealed
• Pondering effects of Obamacare
• Fantasizing on the ‘Apocalypse’
• Another view of Hinduism
• Great experience for HCMS students
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FLASHPOINT: A legislative session of missed opportunities
Given the nature of politicians, grand claims of accomplishments and overblown rhetoric about “historic” efforts are to be expected at the close of any legislative session.
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RONN MOTT: Mushrooms = Hoosier happiness
Someone wrote or said a few years ago a statement that would define the word “Hoosier.” According to this urban legend, a Hoosier is somebody dribbling a basketball around the Indy 500 while eating a fried, morel mushroom. It did not define me, at the time.
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EDITORIAL: Insult to an independent press
Distrust of government secrecy has been elevated to an exceptional level with the disclosure the Justice Department covertly examined two months of Associated Press phone records to determine who leaked details to the AP about a foiled terrorist plot.
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READERS' FORUM: May 17, 2013
Hinduism doesn’t deserve ridicule — Shefali Purohit, Terre Haute
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RONN MOTT: Israel’s Air Force
Recently the Israeli Air Force bombed and rocketed a convoy leaving Syria going to Lebanon with rockets that were going to be used to attack Israel. It did not get there. It was destroyed.
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EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news: Dashing finish for the Sycamores
It’s always thrilling to see Indiana State University’s athletic teams do well in high-level competition, and two specific teams rose to impressive heights last weekend in the Missouri Valley Conference outdoor track and field championships.
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Readers' Forum: May 16, 2013
Moving Deming folks sounds ‘nuts’
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Readers' Forum: May 15, 2013
Participants rise to the challenge: I would like to write a letter congratulating all the Wabash Valley Roadrunners that competed in the One America Indianapolis Mini Marathon.
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RONN MOTT: Media merry-go-round
Round and round it goes, where it stops nobody knows. That isn’t a unique phrase to this writer or to this era in time. But, when it comes to the musical chairs of broadcasting, it certainly applies.
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LIZ CIANCONE: Courts see a different appearance than cops
Have you ever noticed the transformation between the arrest of an accused lawbreaker and the first appearance in court?
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READERS' FORUM: May 14, 2013
ISTEP failure exposes flaws
Community hasn’t changed its spirit
Egregious threat to nation’s defense
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READERS' FORUM: May 13, 2013
• Women’s group criticizes Bucshon
• Let’s hope this doesn’t come true
• Many get thanks for fest success
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MARK BENNETT: Life at face value: Mom’s simple advice still presents a valuable daily challenge
Most moms don’t base their advice on scientific research.
(Unless, of course, your mother is a scientific researcher. If so, carry a No. 2 pencil and take good notes.) -
EDITORIAL: Better monitoring needed to prevent local environmental messes
The nasty, hazardous messes lurking in the community raise a bottom-line, red-flag question. Could these environmental problems have been monitored and, thus, prevented?
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GUEST COLUMN: Nursing more than medicine and bandages
Being a nurse … Like most nurses, I chose this profession because I had a strong desire to help others and no other career would allow me the opportunity to touch lives the way I have been able to through nursing.
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READERS' FORUM: May 12, 2013
Vigo Youth Football, entering 45th year, seeks new support
Media ignoring important case on abortions
Proud to be old-fashioned
Guns in school? What’s next?
Promoting hate not a ‘brave’ act
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FLASHPOINT: Again in 2013 General Assembly, middle class generally ignored
Last year, the people of Indiana entrusted the Republican Party with some of their most precious possessions.
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RONN MOTT: ‘Raccoons II’
In the Algonquin Indian language, raccoon means “working with hands.” They are really cute little fellows until they injure a child, or a pet, or leave feces around where you certainly do not want it.
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Oklahoma Survivors, Heroes Survey Damage
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Morgan Freeman falls asleep on air
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