No one focuses on the good that guns do
Do you believe in the Constitution? America is free, right? That’s what we fought for, isn’t it? Then why are we considering taking away something that we, as a country, fought so hard for?
Guns don’t kill people. People kill people. Taking away guns won’t solve the problem. Helping the people who can’t control themselves is what will help.
Guns do one bad thing that we focus so much of our time on. But what about the good they’ve put in our lives? A gun can kill a person, which is awful, but that’s the only bad thing it can do. Guns can be used for hunting, war, self defense, entertainment and other things that can’t harm a person. So many people just focus on one bad thing about guns that they don’t see any good it does. Sure it’s a weapon, but it can only be a weapon when the wrong person picks it up.
Why should America (the land of the free) punish and take away the rights of everyone who doesn’t do wrong? Getting a sick person the attention they need is what we should be doing. Instead of focusing on ourselves we should focus on the people who need help.
BROOKE GERIG Woodburn
Government best steward of nation’s economy
There is an aggressive conservative notion that the private sector should be allowed to run the American economy.The assertion is that the government overrates its effectiveness, over-regulates, over-bureaucratizes and invests too much on speculative infrastructure. Too much is spent on the unfortunate and the needy, they say.
The private sector is not a civic organization that functions on behalf of the citizenry as a primary interest. Societal benefits are a byproduct of their main efforts that create for them a desired consumer/customer apparatus that enhances their profits.
This government is an organization of the people, for the people and by the people; let’s not forget. We should least be concerned about what the government spends and more concerned about the services that the government provides and the quality of the representatives we elect. What we are getting for the amount we spend and whether it is a fair value should be our main concern. The government must spend whatever it needs to spend to provide the service that the citizens need, and the citizens must provide the revenue, being aware that the government is not a money-making enterprise. The government collects revenue as a means of its functioning.
EMERY D. BOWSER Fort Wayne
Iraq war anniversary prompts reflections
The 10th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq is a good time for reflection. The pertinent question is: “Have we learned anything?”
Liberals are content being right about the war, even though “principle without activism is a daydream.” Neocons are content being wrong, proving that “action without principle is a nightmare.” They tell each other that weapons of mass destruction were in Iraq but were sent to Syria before our invasion.
Warmongers are unfazed by the fact that Iraqi WMD (including our generous contributions) were disposed of in the early 1990s, and the chemical weapons Iraq manufactured lasted two years at most and required continual production that would have been detected by international weapon inspectors. There also is no explanation how the quantities of WMD claimed by the Bush administration traveled undetected on their mythical journey to Syria.
Have evangelical Christian neocons shed one tear for the innocent blood spilled in Iraq? Is there any remorse?
The question is about more than the past.
Soldiers from the Fort Wayne area have orders to leave for Africa in May. Our government swears: “They will not get bogged down in an intractable conflict.” Afghanistan, anyone? It’s pretty simple; you learn from mistakes or you repeat them.
TIM TIERNON Fort Wayne
D’Arcy family grateful for warm outpouring
We wish to thank all the people in Indiana (including at The Journal Gazette) for the wonderful tribute given our brother, Bishop John D’Arcy, at his death and funeral. We always knew how much he loved Indiana, but we were not aware how much Indiana loved him.
On Feb. 7 when we went to the Cathedral, we met lines of people who came to pray for him. So many people came, both Catholic and non-Catholic. Each one seemed to have a story how he had touched their life. We think he would have loved to have been there himself. It was overwhelming for us. We wish to thank Bishop Kevin Rhoades, who approved everything so our brother had the funeral he wanted.
We also wish to thank Indiana’s NewsCenter. They aired the funeral live and suspended their noon news. Along with WANE-TV, they streamed the funeral live on their website. We were amazed at how many people in Boston and Ireland watched the service live on their computers. Thanks also to Redeemer Radio, which streamed both funeral liturgies at South Bend and Fort Wayne.
On the way back to his home on Friday after his burial in the Cathedral, we passed the Lutheran church nearest his home and saw the large sign with prayers for Bishop D’Arcy. It meant a great deal to all of us.
SISTER ANNE D’ARCY HUGH and JOAN D’ARCY Needham, Mass.
Insulting implication by letter writer
I am a tea party advocate. But I’ve never performed nor perpetrated an act of terror or a car bomb. Al Qaida has (“GOP obstructionism our biggest threat,” Letters, Feb. 28). I love this great country. Not so al Qaida.
SARAH CARMONA Fort Wayne
D.C. bickering needs to last a little longer
The House, Senate and president continue to argue about money. I want the argument to continue.
I’m close to retirement. I’ve done my best to keep the bills paid down and save a little. Social Security and Medicare are part of my retirement plan. Have you tried to price private insurance lately? Yikes!
So I hope the argument continues several years. That means no cuts to Social Security or Medicare before I get there.
Please continue. Help me retire a little more comfortably.
RUTH HAZELET Fort Wayne
