Letters to the Editor: A fourth-grader says, ‘I would like to protect kids, not guns.’

Protecting kids

I am going to be in fourth grade. It is the start of summer vacation, and it has come to my attention that America has a mass shooting problem. The purpose of this letter is to propose the thought of doing something about this. Furthermore, I would like to prevent violence before it happens and keep friends, schools, and communities safe.

I would like to protect kids, not guns. It is very powerful for a group of people to protest and work together to protect a certain cause. When young people work together, they can each take other measures in their own community and spread this message.

The reason why I would like to work to end gun violence is because firearms are the #1 leading cause of death for American children and teens. Everyone needs to work to prevent this. Kids have the right to life more than anyone over 30 has the right to bear a firearm.

If we started to make laws to prevent gun violence, we could work to prevent violence and to empower people to use their voices for change. I believe in stopping gun violence, and that everyone should work to stop violence everywhere.

Levi Salmon, Lexington

Gun Culture

The nation has crossed the Rubicon and can no longer endure the slaughter of its children and inoffensive citizens by a rogue gun culture. It is time to protecting our citizens against this wanton danger.

U.S. Sens. Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul, and U.S. Rep. Andy Barr - you have taken an oath to the Constitution, which states the government is established, among other purposes, to ensure domestic tranquility and provide for the common defense.

Does enabling the present gun culture meet either of those goals? Nothing in that document suggests your political careers or retention of power override the responsibilities you have sworn to discharge.

Yet, instead of passing laws to make our gun culture a public asset rather than a public danger, you temporize, obfuscate and obstruct.

You need to meet your responsibilities and Congress needs to do its job, matters far more important than filling your campaign coffers with gun lobby donations.

The time to act is now. If you cannot do that, you can serve your offices in no better way than to resign and make way for those who can.

You are, sirs, our servants.

Willis J. Sutter, Lexington

Gun tax

Republicans say they don’t want to raise taxes on anyone, yet that is exactly what they’re doing by suggesting schools, churches, malls, etc., add security personnel/harden facilities to protect us from mass shooters. Someone has to pay for that security. It’s you.

Our taxes also go up to train the paramedics in battle-field medical response, along with purchasing the necessary Stop-the-Bleed kits. Health insurance premiums go up to cover multiple surgeries, if you survive being hit by projectiles traveling at more than 3 times the speed of sound. All these costs, and others, go to cover trying to protect the public from a mass shooter - an unnamed tax, but a tax, nonetheless.

Republicans are Pro-Life and Pro 2nd amendment all to ensure a target rich environment for their AR-15 type long rifles. Be sure to thank your Republican representatives at the next election! We’ve had 230+ mass shootings the year to date!

Joe Crouch, Lexington

Gun Addiction

Like no other nation in the whole wide world, America is addicted to GUNS. We are being held hostage by a long-outdated, currently irrelevant 2nd Amendment, the National Rifle Association, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and 49 other Republican senators. Mass shootings with assault weapons are the result of Congress’s failure, especially on the Republican side, to address gun issues.

If anything is to get done on lessening a serious, worsening gun violence problem in our nation, voters have to go to the polls in record numbers in November’s midterms and vote for candidates who will work to pass the needed, sensible gun safety legislation which an overwhelmingly number of voters all over our country want.

For the sake of saving democracy and significantly curtailing gun violence, it is important voters vote to keep Democrats in control of the House of Representatives and Senate.

Paul L. Whiteley Sr., Louisville

Misleading ad

I can’t help but notice the new ‘attack ad’ running on television calling Senate Bill 2992, “The American Innovation and Choice Online Act” a liberal-agenda driven act designed to stymie American tech companies from pushing their own products over their competitors under the Anti-Trust law covering such actions. The tv ad says it’s the liberal action of U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, and U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin, all Democrats. What it fails to mention is that it is a bi-partisan piece of legislation with the likes of U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham, John Kennedy, Josh Hawley and other Republicans co-sponsoring the bill. No doubt just an oversight in putting the ad together.

Bob Sutton, Springfield

Far Left?

One of this week’s lead stories was about state Rep. Savannah Maddox, whom you stated was the most FAR RIGHT candidate. When is the last time you referred to someone as “FAR” Left? Never happens. Your pages are full of Joel Pett’s stupid and biased diatribes and slams on every conservative. I am surprised daily you remain in business.

Dallen Wendt, Nicholasville

Summer reading

Every year I take my grandkids to the library to start the summer-reading incentive. They always enjoy penciling in their progress and taking it back to receive rewards.

I took my grand-daughter this week and she was anxious to start the reading program as usual. When we went to the librarian at the desk, she explained that this year there would not be a traditional incentive program. Why?

“Because kids may feel pressured to read and we don’t want them to be pressured,” was what I was told.

I realize that our culture “dumbs down” just about everything now in an effort to make children feel successful. This happens in school where grades are given after the kids have multiple chances to make up assignments and even corrected tests. “Field days” have become “fun days” where there are no winners for games.

However, the reading program was totally voluntary; a fun incentive for kids who wanted to participate. No children were forced to do it. It’s just sad that it has been eliminated and replaced with “Oh, we give everyone a free book if they come to the ‘kick-off summer’ day.”

That’s just not the same!

Suzanne F. Jones, Lexington

Assaulting Democracy

Calvin Woodward’s AP article, “An Infamous Day. A Search for Answers. Will America Tune In?” (June 7) opens with a list of concerns that have exhausted the American public. He then asks, “How much will the country care?” As if we just can’t take any more. His slant is straight out of the film “Don’t Look UP” in which media pundits dismiss frantic pleadings that an asteroid is about to destroy life. Our beloved democracy is under assault. Please don’t give us an excuse to look away. We need to know what is coming down.

Jacquelyn Thompson, Lexington

Republican Authoritarianism

A nation where the majority of the citizens want assault weapons to be illegal and abortions to be safe and legal, that then passes laws that disregard that majority, can already be deemed to be an authoritarian state. And that authoritarianism is not going to stop with banning abortion or allowing the weapons of war to proliferate without control. The message this fall must be that Republican authoritarianism has no boundaries and even extends to our voting system. They have already proven that.

Jim Porter, Danville

Chief Tweeter

Elon Musk is considering spending $44 billion (that’s billions, with a B’) to buy Twitter so he can reopen President Donald Trump’s account, thus allowing the former president to shower us with tweets all day and night. Seems like it would have been better and cheaper for all of us if Elon bought all of us a smart phone and give the cell phone numbers to “The Donald” so he can call us directly. No, wait a minute. That wouldn’t work. Most of us would put him on call block pretty quickly. Seems like there could be a better way to spend $44 billion, though.

Ralph Derickson, Lexington

Doing good

Kentucky’s 6th District Representative once proposed reflagging foreign ships with the Stars & Stripes in order to move cargo unmolested in a war zone. It worked. That was Republican Larry Hopkins and the cargo he gave American protection to was oil. There is a new need, and it isn’t oil. Russia’s invasion of its neighbor is preventing shipment of grain to a hungry world. Besides overturning the post-WWII world order, Russia is creating a humanitarian disaster of epic proportions. What an opportunity for Kentucky’s current 6th District representative, also a Republican, to do something good. Good for people who aren’t bankers or coal operators. It is also an opportunity for U.S. Rep. Andy Barr to make up for accepting past campaign donations from Russian oligarchs and put some distance between himself and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s friends.

Congressman Barr, propose reflagging ships transporting grain out of Ukrainian ports with our flag. Unless, of course, you don’t want to offend YOUR friends in Moscow.

Stephen Stahlman, Berea

Refugee employment

The U.S. unemployment rate is near its all time low at 3.6 percent. Hundreds of thousands of businesses are desperately seeking workers. Hundreds of thousands of refugees are seeking to immigrate to the U.S. Two problems with a single solution.

Howard Stovall, Lexington

This story was originally published June 10, 2022 at 9:02 AM.