The advantages of secure firearm storage
Your piece on “Lawmakers weigh gun proposals” was welcomed, however its coverage is incomplete. The gun rights supporter who was interviewed about the pending safe-storage bill at the Legislature shared points that are misleading or misguided.
First, his complaint about the law being a “one size fits all” policy that doesn’t recognize the realities of how different people live across the state ignores the fact that no city, town, or municipality is allowed to pass any gun laws themselves. All gun regulations must come from the state Legislature with very few exceptions. We are in this situation because of an NRA-backed policy called preemption which was passed many years ago in Minnesota and other states. So, the different needs of people cannot be met by local governments. It’s either a state law or nothing.
The interviewee goes on to complain that a hypothetical farmer in Roseau who has livestock to defend would be treated the same as a hypothetical daycare operator in Edina under the proposed state policy of secure firearm storage. Please be aware that suicides in Minnesota make up more than 70% of all gun deaths. These suicides are more prevalent in rural areas, among middle-aged men. Guns on the farm can be just as dangerous as they are at the daycare.
Another defense used by the gun rights supporter is that there is already a state law about safe storage regarding children. Secure storage of firearms should strive to protect ALL people in Minnesota, including children. Unattended, unsecured guns can be stolen by people who are dangerous and shouldn’t have them. Loose firearms do not allow people in a moment of crisis to seek help before an impulsive act. A woman in a domestic-abuse situation has a significantly higher chance of being killed if a gun is accessible.
It is time for common sense to prevail. Today’s gun safes allow responsible gun owners to access a weapon in a matter of seconds while deterring unauthorized users. It is time to stop misleading Minnesotans about the lifesaving advantages of secure firearm storage.
Gretchen Damon, St. Paul
We don’t need these street storms
It’s spring, which around here usually means thunderstorms. Indeed, we’ve been getting thunderstorms this spring – only not in the skies.
Our thunderstorms are in the streets, including arterials and normally quiet residential streets. Turbocharged, under-muffled muscle cars and racing bikes roar around, disturbing the peace with their high-revs, dragster starts, and backfires.
This illegal and uncivil noise, plus the often-accompanying aggressive driving, makes such vehicles a first-class pest, detracting from local livability. Moreover, intermittent loud noise is now known to pose significant physical and mental health threats, costing years of life and contributing to anxiety and depression.
Since manual enforcement of noise ordinances and speed limits is infeasible, once speed cameras are in place to deter speeding we should follow up with noise cameras, to impartially ticket offending vehicles, as is done already in New York, London and Paris. Unlike rain-bringing thunderstorms, which we do need, our current in-the-streets thunderstorms we don’t need, and shouldn’t tolerate.
James Johnson, St. Paul
Do we really want to let everybody in?
There have been people in this paper and other places talking about how immigrants have built this country and we should stop our actions to keep them out.
They are correct that all of our ancestors came from other countries. However, they need to understand and come to grips with all the facts that enter in.
We are a country that lives by laws that protect us all. Do we really want to have an open border that not only lets people in who want to help American remain great, but also drug dealers, people smugglers, criminals, etc.?
We need to agree on a border that can review those who enter. People we want to live with and trust to be a part of our working class.
Phil Hove, Cottage Grove
The basis of an orderly society
There has been much pushback against religion exemplified by the statement, “Religion has no right …” (Letters to the Editor, April 4) regarding government efforts supported or condemned by different religious groups. The presumption is that religion should have no place in politics.
The public pronouncements seem to reference the word, religion, as an abstract term, which it is not. It is a philosophy of life that is acquired from studying a base of knowledge that has a foundation in philosophy and sociology. It is then adopting that creed as a basic code of life.
The idea of a religion (philosophy) is based on the fact that we, as humans, and the top predators on this planet, have an intellect. That intellect comes with responsibilities in all we do. My faith teaches that we are created with the respect of God — that we have the ability to do unbelievable evil but our intellect, when properly cultivated, is capable of boundless beneficence. We are responsible to cultivate that intellect and employ it in the pursuit of the common good.
That philosophy is the basis of an orderly society that our founding fathers recognized and used in forming these United States — read the documents. I’m not sure we would be capable of that heavy lifting today.
Art Thell, West St. Paul
Thankful for the pioneers in women’s sports
As I watched the Iowa Hawkeyes (women) race up and down the court in their quest for a national championship, I was reminded as to how girls basketball was played in my day. I grew up in Ohio during the 1950s and ’60s as a who guy had numerous opportunities to participate in sports, my “specialty” being track and baseball.
Of course, back then, girls being the “weaker” sex and with a concern for their safety, track was not an option, and basketball had rules that would make it unrecognizable by today’s standards. As I recall, girls could only play half-court. I suppose we were concerned they would be unable to catch their breath. Three girls from each team would play on each side of the court, unable to cross the half-court line. Shooters on one side, defenders on the other.
I am so thankful to the many pioneers in women’s sports who encouraged young girls and women to pursue their dreams and ambitions. Well done!
Don Lohrey, Shoreview
His own money
Joe Biden’s strategy to buy votes by relieving students of the awful obligation of paying loans they took out to attend school is brilliant. But, I just wish he would use his own money and not mine.
T. J. Sexton, St. Paul
Any doubt?
As to: “Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, hospitality industry urge compromise on Uber, Lyft wages” … and, specifically, as to the Uber and Lyft businesses — a primary issue is free enterprise vs. government intervention.
Can there be any doubt which is best for the free-market consumer, vis a vis the Minneapolis City Council politburo reaching beyond its actual reason for being?
Gene Delaune, New Brighton