Gun debate grows too rancorous

Re: NRA tags Gore as enemy No. 1 and vows to defeat him, May 21.

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 28, 2000

Re: NRA tags Gore as enemy No. 1 and vows to defeat him, May 21.

When Charlton Heston, president of the National Rifle Association, referred to the NRA slogan, "I'll give up my gun when they pry it from my cold, dead hands," he sounded like the child who screamed at his playmate, "You can't have it. It's mine."

Somebody should tell Heston nobody wants to take away his gun. Some people never grow up.

It's a sorry state of affairs when the vice president of the United States is called a liar and a "dangerous" force because he told the Million Mom March that licensing and registration for gun owners would save lives. That sounds reasonable to me. But the NRA fears Gore would severely restrict the "right to keep and bear arms."

There is nothing wrong with restriction. We have the right to drive. It is restricted by the need for a license and registration of a car. That little restriction saves lives. Al Gore, like many Americans is disturbed by all the gun violence. Why is the NRA calling him names? The NRA members are the people who should be ridiculed. They strap on their holsters, raise their rifles and shout "the right to bear arms" as if a revolution has begun. Are the barbarians at the gate?

Is it any wonder there is so much violence in our country? We can't even discuss how we might reduce violence, it seems, without wanting to kill each other.

My prayer is that, when a gun is pried from someone's "cold, dead hands," it won't be pried because someone just killed that human with an unlicensed gun.

Jack Bray, Dunedin

Assay the amendmen

Earlier at the NRA convention in Charlotte, N.C., Heston waved his rifle over his head and said, "I want to say those fighting words, to hear and to heed, and especially to you, Mr. Gore." Then he referred to the NRA slogan that says, "I'll give up my gun when they pry it from my cold, dead hands.

Heston has declared open, gun-bearing war against Gore's candidacy for the presidency. I wonder if he hasn't done him more good than harm. It may be interesting to see how the followers of the NRA compare in numbers to followers of the vice president.

It might be a good idea for both Heston and Gore to read the Second Amendment and try to understand it before they make it their primary issue. It says: "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

That seems to say that the right to keep and bear arms is related to a willingness to serve the nation and protect its security.

Heston, Gore and all of the others who have so much to say on the subject, should try to come together and figure out what really was intended by the Second Amendment and how it can and should be interpreted in this modern world where some of us are just trying to survive.

Robert H. Wiltse, St. Petersburg

Looking like a terrorist

I was appalled at the terrorist-like pose of Charlton Heston in the May 21 photo. His malicious diatribe against Vice President Al Gore and his condescending attitude toward the Million Mom March implying that they were led around by the nose and had no minds of their own was intolerable.

When will gun-lovers accept the fact that no one is trying to take away their guns? Instead we are searching for a way to protect our children, a fact the NRA will not acknowledge. You are the one, Mr. Heston, who is lying to the mothers.

If the NRA hates Al Gore to such an extent, he must be doing something right. Guess who will get my vote?

Dorothy Muller, Bayonet Point

A gun works bette

This letter writer wants all guns eliminated except for those in the hands of the police and the military. He closed his letter by saying, "If you are in a battle, it is better to have God on your side than Charlton Heston.

Well! Go ahead and tell that to the tens of millions who died just in this century who had their ability to own weapons stripped from them. Oh, yeah, they believed in their God, all right, but it was their governments that killed them.

And today they are still dead. Fat lot of good having God as their only defense did them.

Give me a gun any day.

Vilmar Tavares, Spring Hill

Arrogant believer

As a Secular Humanist (one who believes in science and reason; not anything supernatural or from "revelation"), I was amazed and perplexed by the many unfavorable responses to Maxwell's column

Why do evangelical Christians believe -- so certainly -- that they have the singular answer to how one must live his or her life? Even a Catholic bishop did not approve of the Jesus videotape being circulated.

I wonder how these evangelical groups would react if they received "proselytizing' tapes, mailings etc. from other beliefs or non-belief organizations such as Hindus, Jews, Moslems, Humanists, voodoos, atheists etc. I suspect they would be alarmed and outraged! Why do they dare to be so arrogant about their one-way belief system!

Glenn A. Paul, Indian Rocks Beach

Cultural myopia

Re: Iran endorses reformers' victory 3 months after vote, May 21.

It is encouraging to supporters of democracy to see the political shift in Iran's government with the endorsement of the legislative elections by the Iranian hard-liners. Many hurdles must be overcome before our country can even approach having normal relations with Iran. A lot of distrust for the United States stemming from the days of the shah still exists.

I often wonder how far Iran would have come on its own in a quest for democracy had the U.S. government not been so heavily involved in Iran's internal politics during the rule of the shah. Time after time our leaders have failed to understand the cultures that they are dealing with when they support oppressive forms of government. How many times have we seen such decisions backfire?

Sometimes good intentions have led the United States to be its own worst enemy. Learning about and understanding other cultures has often been a shortcoming for many Americans. There are still many in this country who feel they don't need to know anything about the rest of the world.

This shortsightedness has often lead to tragic consequences. If this country is to remain a global leader, we need to encourage our government and our citizens to learn about these other countries before making such world-altering decisions.

J. Larry McElveen, Belleair Bluffs

Side effects abound

Re: Don Wright cartoon, May 21.

The cartoon on the editorial page was right on the mark!

I watch and listen to the TV ads promoting new "miracle" drugs. After the promise of a cure, we are then informed of the side effects. In many cases, there are four or five side effects, leading me to the conclusion that the users will be left with more problems than they had before! The original complaint will be forgotten, perhaps, in treating the "side effects."

Will there be yet another drug to treat these new symptoms?

Dorothy E. Karkheck, Palm Harbor

Tally the pollutants

Recently the Legislature saw fit to eliminate the testing of auto emissions, starting in July 2000.

If this is signed into law, I think it would be interesting for the St. Petersburg Times, starting in July and reporting monthly, to provide data on the various elements of air pollution, along with comparative figures for the past two years. This would tell us whether the elimination of the testing did or did not make a significant difference in the quality of the air we breathe.

James J. Byrnes, St. Petersburg

'Tisn't the season

The May 21 Times carried an advertising insert for -- of all things -- a "Florida State Santa Claus." There's jolly old Santa in his FSU sweater holding up his "Go Seminoles" pennant in front of the fireplace and Christmas tree.

Christmas already? Aw, c'mon . . . give me a break -- please!

I'm really surprised Christians aren't more vocal in their opposition to the crass commercialism of their holy holiday. For that matter, I'm surprised all of us aren't fed-up with being hit with Christmas commercialism earlier and earlier each year.

I thought it was bad enough when stores put up their Christmas decorations right after Halloween last year, but this is too much! Is it too early to say "Humbug"?

Louis Claudio, Safety Harbor

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