Listen to us brag about our caring and compassionate nation. Throughout history we right the wrongs; could it be any other way for the greatest nation in the world?
Collective cries of anguish filled the news airways at the violent deaths of children in their elementary school. “Not again!” resounded on news reports as firemen were gunned down striving to save a neighborhood from a murdering arsonist.
The time passes and after six days the victims are buried and their headlines are replaced by “Economic Cliffs” of destruction. New tides of news come to shore as anxiety and concern fade with the outgoing stories.
The NRA has the solution to crimes with automatic weapons; get your own and fire back! That’s a crime stopper if I ever heard one. In fact, David Poland (“Armed, law-abiding citizens often stop crimes,” Jan. 3 Times-News) attests that yearly 2 million crimes have been stopped by citizen gun owners. For some reason, I couldn’t find that statistic in any research area.
Congress allowed the automatic weapon law to expire. Now with the possibility of a new law against such weapons gun dealers can’t keep “those babies on the shelf.” The logic escapes me.
There isn’t a single hunting use for these weapons; not even famed outdoorsman Ted Nugent uses them on his TV show. Best believe they have a purpose.
With the correct ammo shots can go through walls, cut men in half, and pierce armored vests. If you have enough ammo, you could fell a forest.
Clearly, you understand why there are no news photos of the inside of that elementary school?
Financially indebted to the weapon manufacturers, the National Rifle Association is their public relations voice of convoluted facts and veiled intimations that owning such weapons is our right and, as Mr. Poland noted, our sole protection against that “evil” Federal Government. The NRA cares because we care.
Because we care, we send our children to schools with leaking roofs, outdated texts in buildings accessible to any gunslinger.
Because we care, the ability of weapon manufactures to sell military style weaponry is a far more important priority than protecting firefighters from an assassin.
Because we care, armed teachers are the solution for our children’s safety at school.
With corporate greed and contributions, government is frozen, inept and incapable of any action.
Citizens enamored by the newest IPod or upcoming Bowl game bore easily with grief and move on to the next item of news.
Is Mr. Poland correct? After all, the NRA represents so many reputable weapon owners and they must know the statistics. Remember, 2 million crimes were stopped by gun owners. I still can’t verify that statement.
Yet, for about six days we were truly a conscientious and caring nation.
Robert Llewellyn
Cumberland
Editorials
If there’s any logic in this argument, it is difficult to find
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Better ‘Click It’
If you notice more police on the highway this week, it’s for a couple of reasons.
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They do bite
This week is National Dog Bite Prevention Week. For anyone thinking that is not such a big deal, consider that 4.7 million Americans annually are bitten by dogs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Stop buying licenses; let them find the money somewhere else
A few months ago, I received two cards from the National Rifle Association. These were dealing with a legislative alert.
They asked that I should contact Sen. George Edwards and Delegate Kevin Kelly concerning the anti-gun legislation. -
Strength of gun laws is not reflected in grisly statistics
According to the FBI’s uniform crime reports, California had the highest number of gun murders in 2011 with 1,220, which makes up 68 percent of all murders in the state that year and equates to 3.25 murders per 100,000 people.
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An old story
What for years has been an on-again, off-again battle over funding between the Allegany County Commissioners and the Allegany County Board of Education seems to be growing even uglier.
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‘Forgotten warrior’ not forgotten
The Korean War is often called “The Forgotten War.” My generation remembers the Battle for LZ X-Ray at Ia Drang, The Tet Offensive, and Khe Sahn of the Vietnam War.
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Organization needed to help utilize the Potomac River
I am a committee remember on the Tamiami Trail Scenic Highway which stretches from Palmetto to Venice, Fla.
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Reducing meat consumption can help ease climate change
A review of 12,000 papers on climate change, in the May 15 issue of “Environmental Research Letters,” found that 97 percent of scientists attribute climate change to human activities.
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Editorial Cartoon - 05/18/2013
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Maryland has stopped being “The Free State”
I am a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans and, last but not least, the National Rifle Association. I am a yearly member of the American Legion.
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