Tourist Killings and Gun Control

* The recent tourist murders in Florida have rightly caused a cry for justice in the Sunshine State, but for the wrong reasons. The expressions of outrage were in concern for possible damage to the state’s multibillion-dollar tourist industry, not for the dead tourists or their families. As a transplanted Floridian I am appalled by the idea that the murder of a Floridian is not equally outrageous. My guess is that if it had happened to locals, there would scarcely have been a mention in the media.

But more importantly, these tourists come from countries with gun laws, not a place where every yahoo that can pull a trigger can own and carry a gun. Remember how the Florida Legislature recently liberalized its gun laws, making it easier to obtain guns? Could this be one way that their shortsighted legislation is coming back to haunt them?

And yet, the gun issue has gone largely unmentioned here. This is clearly an opportunity for the gun control forces to begin spending their money where it would have the most effect: anti-U.S. tourism advertising in the foreign press rather than lobbying our spineless Congress.

Since the slaughter of our citizens apparently has no effect on our lawmakers, hit them in the only place that seems to matter: the pocketbook.

DOUG TRAER

Studio City

* Miami Mayor Xavier Saurez had a novel idea on a recent “Oprah Winfrey Show” and also “Good Morning America” while commenting on the murder of the German tourist and crime in general. There has been another tourist murdered since then.

Mayor Saurez suggested that the Police Department might spend less time and effort ticketing speeders and more time actually fighting crime. Apparently the Miami Police Department and the Florida State Patrol write tens of thousands of speeding tickets annually and yet have a very poor record curbing violent crime and apprehending violent criminals.

Unfortunately for us citizens, speeding tickets generate so much easy money for law enforcement that the good mayor has little chance of getting the police to devote much effort to actually protecting us. Fighting crime costs money and is dangerous!

DON MOREY

Irvine

* What people who object to “Concealed Gun Permits” (letters, Sept. 15) can’t seem to get in their head is: People who carry guns are doing so for some very strong reasons--criminal intent, fear, whatever. They do so whether the law allows it or not.

There are thousands of defenseless people killed in Los Angeles every year. I realize that many people think everyone is going to go around shooting one another if they legalize permits. The truth is they are doing so now. The difference is the innocent can shoot back. Ultimately that has to serve as a deterrent. If someone had been armed in any of the mass shootings like the post office, many lives would have been saved.

I used to work in Hawthorne. Twice I evidently did something to irritate another driver. Both parties waved a large knife at me and chased me. The first time I got away. The second time when he waved a knife at me, I waved my gun at him. End of problem.

JOHN WAUGEN

Anaheim