Gun Makers Held Responsible

Re “Message for Gun Makers,” editorial, Feb. 15: I believe the legal decision to hold gun makers re- sponsible for violence committed with their products is seriously flawed. I am certainly opposed to violence as much as the next person, but I fail to see the rationale that led to this decision. It makes as much sense as holding car manufacturers responsible for crimes committed with their cars, trucks, etc. What about those who manufacture bullets, knives, poisons, belts, ropes, hammers, axes, baseball bats, ad nauseam, all of which can be used to commit violent acts? Back to the drawing board, jurists.

GILBERT NIXON, Huntington Beach

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Re Harvey Berger’s Feb. 16 letter about guns and crime: He states, “If a criminal attacks you, arrest the criminal.” Oh. I had no idea how simple that was. I suppose the police who were being fired upon during the North Hollywood shootout should have just arrested those assault-rifle-armed, body-armored baddies.

The founding fathers had in mind a gun which, if you were extremely talented with the weapon, might be fired and reloaded about three times in one minute. Not fired about 300 times in one minute. And a criminal armed with a knife, a chain or a baseball bat poses no threat to people two blocks away! Sheesh!

SAMANTHA S. KIMMEL, North Hollywood