NRA, Guns and Gun Policy

* Jerry Hicks’ Aug. 6 column, “NRA Sticks to Its Guns and Misses the Mark Once Again,” is a good description of the opposition by the National Rifle Assn. to any kind of restriction on the use of firearms, even seemingly responsible, noncontroversial safety improvements such as trigger locks.

The NRA usually claims that the proposed law is an erosion of 2nd Amendment rights. Yet once a law is passed, the NRA does not try to have it tested in the courts. I suspect that they do not do this because they think they would lose, and then a precedent would be set.

TOM MILLER

Seal Beach

* Regarding the Aug. 10, letter from Coalition to Stop Gun Violence director Michael Beard:

If Mr. Beard and his group seriously wanted to reduce crime, they would be advocating tougher laws concerning the use of handguns or any other firearms during the commission of a crime. Mandatory sentencing of, say, 25 years to life with no plea bargaining would be a start. Mandatory death sentence if a victim dies would also be a deterrent.

People kill other people with cars. I don’t see anyone wanting to ban cars. As proof that tougher laws work, all Mr. Beard has to do is look at the results of DUI arrests and its consequences.

If, on the other hand, all they are interested in is saving lives, then they should be advocating the need for firearm safety education, just as driving education is required to obtain a driver’s license.

Thank you for allowing me to express my views on gun control. And, by the way, I am not a member of the NRA.

MILES HASHIZUMI

Mission Viejo