Letters: America’s gun obssession

Re “Gun mania,” Editorial, Jan. 10

President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, members of Congress and all the talking heads in the media are chiming in with their opinions about gun violence and what we should do about it. And it’s all for nothing. Nothing is going to get “fixed.” The crying and dying is not going to stop. We’ve run this train down the road so far that we’re never going to turn it around. It’s who we are as a country.

I could die a happy man if I don’t ever hear “God bless America” again. There are no more blessings left. Between the Pilgrims and the pioneers and all the wars and strife, they’re all gone. And that’s a shame.

Robert Macfarlane

Costa Mesa

Doctors have expensive malpractice insurance even if they have never had a lawsuit filed against them. Gun owners should pay the costs of the 2nd Amendment through a “gun malpractice tax.”

The cost of the civil suits, armed guards at schools and psychological counseling for the survivors and the families of victims should fall on gun owners. Then perhaps the National Rifle Assn. would seek ways of keeping guns out of the hands of killers.

The 2nd Amendment is law. The Declaration of Independence proposition that we are entitled to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” is not. Most people would prefer the latter, given the choice.

Jim Ketcham

Malibu

We’re finally doing what America does better than anybody: noisily debating to find common ground where we can solve our great national curse. What we’re not hearing about is the NRA’s long campaign to suppress data collection, forbid record-keeping and deny funding for enforcing current gun laws.

Thomas Crispen

San Diego

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