Letters to the Editor: Words of support for armed campuses, widespread family planning education and a favored columnist
Regarding the story about walkouts planned at Glendale schools over gun violence: This is so sad. Students and teachers protesting gun violence and encouraging more gun control legislation is ludicrous. Just another school day disrupted and no open mind as to the real problem; like sheep.
Parkland, Fla., should never have happened. It did expose the broken system of our federal law enforcement agency in maintaining proper background checks on people purchasing firearms and improper routing of reported problem individuals. Also, the local sheriff with a program, hand-in-hand with schools designed to fail and a high school priding itself on being a no gun zone are the real issues, the roots of the problem that are now being properly addressed and debated. I, for one, would hope Crescenta Valley High School would post signs stating, “This is a firearm protected school with qualified armed people on premises.”
Marcia Lindstrom
Verdugo City
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The fundamental problem causing homelessness is too many humans for the planet to support. Many child-bearers want fewer children but do not have knowledge of or access to contraception. The most humane long-range solution is to provide family planning education and resources to everyone. To jumpstart this effort, U.S. residents can lobby their elected representatives to repeal the Helms and Hyde amendments.
Since the 1970s, U.S. funds have been restricted from use for abortion. The “gag rule” prevents NGOs from even mentioning abortion or providing referrals. Budget decisions have drastically reduced the funding for contraception resulting in more unwanted pregnancies, illegal/unsafe abortions, maternal deaths and tens of thousands who live short, painful lives, never enjoying adequate nourishment or shelter. This is both in the U.S. and around the world. Contraception occasionally fails and individuals must be able to choose the best remedy for their particular circumstances. That might involve an abortion.
It costs much less to provide a full range of reproductive healthcare to all those who want it than supporting the results of unwanted pregnancies. Every child should be cherished. That is much more likely when parents are able to decide when and how many children they have. Widespread education coupled with affordable birth control is the best solution.
Sharon Weisman
Glendale
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I have been reading the News-Press (and sometimes associated newspapers) since I moved to Glendale over 50 years ago and continue to do it even though it appears to be getting a little thin. I always watch for June Casagrande’s column, “A Word, Please,” though. As an author and editor, I love her gentle reminders. I occasionally learn something new. And, mostly, I love that she has a sense of humor about grammar rules versus style choices.
Occasionally, you don’t run her column. Back to the space thing (or is it a budget thing?). You do want to keep us loyal readers coming back, don’t you?
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Glendale