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Monday's letters: Will anyone stand up to the NRA?

 
Published July 22, 2016

Gun rights law stifles free speech | July 21, John Romano column

Who will stand up to the NRA?

John Romano's column is excellent. It fails only in his tongue-in-cheek suggested solution of asking state leaders "to ask the NRA for permission" to have a conversation about gun violence. Our state government officials are to blame for passing a law that prohibits local governments from even considering local problems involving gun violence without the permission of those same state government officials, apparently owned by the NRA.

First solution: Get rid of the officials who voted for the law at the first opportunity. But there are others to blame. Lawyers suggested that local officials might face "fines, lawsuits, and removal from office" if they even considered the issue at a City Council meeting. I suspect that Martin Luther King got the same legal opinion if he asked for it. Thanks to King for having the courage to put citizens' personal rights ahead of personal fear of "fines and lawsuits" or "the possibility of an extended and expensive legal struggle."

I am sure there are many local lawyers (including me) who would represent individual council members for free if the NRA had guts enough to bring the threatened lawsuit against one of them. At least Sarasota had the courage to have a conversation and a vote. But in St. Petersburg, to pull the issue from the agenda without even a discussion should be an embarrassment to all involved.

Bill Wagner, Tampa

Trump's pick is out of character | July 16

Financial advantages

Perhaps Donald Trump's selection of Mike Pence as his vice presidential running mate has to do in part with the latter's association with the billionaire Koch brothers, who to date have not contributed to nor endorsed Trump. They, along with Pence's Florida GOP donors, might now provide needed funds for Trump.

Norah Rockett, Gulfport

'I can fix it' | July 22

Disregard for rule of law

So Donald Trump is the law and order candidate. However, he and his Republican surrogates, especially Chris Christie, refuse to accept the results of the numerous Benghazi committee hearings, at a cost of millions, or the results of a yearlong probe by the FBI into Hillary Clinton's emails. I guess it is not about respecting the rule of law.

Frankly, I'll take the careless candidate over self-absorbed and crazy. I don't want mob-style tactics in the White House.

Eva Rodriguez, Palm Harbor

Words to remember

Your Friday headline, "I can fix it," is a misquote. Donald Trump said, "I alone can fix it." That's an important — and scary — difference.

M. Gregory, Tampa

Jeers, then cheers | July 21

No more business as usual

The front page of the Times reported the outrageous behavior of the leaders of the Republican Party as they refused to endorse the candidate chosen by the people. Donald Trump took his message to the people and sent Ted Cruz, Jeb Bush and the others who wanted to be the candidate to the sidelines with a convincing win. Perhaps it's time for them to wake up.

Many Americans are tired of business as usual in Washington and may not be satisfied with only a victory by Trump. They may also choose to send a number of business-as-usual senators and representatives to the unemployment lines.

Jack Summers, Sun City Center

Muslims must root out terror | July 21, letter

Unworkable notion

The writer suggests that Muslims in our communities have the duty to root out terrorists in their midst or the whole community would not be welcome — no exceptions. He further states that if a terrorist attack happens, anyone associated with that person is rounded up, tried and imprisoned.

That makes about as much sense as doing the same thing to other mass shooters (terrorists) such as Dylann Roof, Adam Lanza, James Holmes, Jared Loughner, etc. Would he consider doing that to white mass shooters' friends and families?

Alice Smith, St. Petersburg

Pride motion goes nowhere | July 21

Respect majority too

Hillsborough County commissioners are to be commended for voting down setting aside the month of June as LGBT month. This was a commonsense decision to not promote a lifestyle represented by a tiny minority in our country.

My hope is the pendulum has begun its swing back toward a better understanding of human rights: not toward abusing the basic rights of any minority, but also, can we respect the beliefs of a much larger group that believes their holy book maintains that the LGBT lifestyle is inappropriate?

As long as we do not abuse the rights of the minority, it is the majority in a democratic republic that should in the end decide the direction of our country.

Dan Cook, Zephyrhills

Government's proper role

Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner stated that "it's the role of government to change the hearts and minds of people so we can all celebrate the rich diversity that is present in this community."

I did not realize that changing hearts and minds was an actual role of government. I thought that we elected government officials to help keep us safe and to provide the means for economic opportunity. Elected officials should of course also attempt to ensure that all are treated fairly, but certainly not afford special privileges to select groups.

Hearts and minds are changed one person at a time, some of us believe through divine help, but surely not through government mandates.

Kenn Sidorewich, Oldsmar