Readers sound off on gun laws, the Jan. 6 hearings and a new Confederacy – New York Daily News

Edmond, Okla.: I am writing this letter because, like many Americans, I am devastated, scared, furious and losing hope that our elected officials will listen to us screaming for change. I am losing hope that my daughter will grow up in a country where she will be able to go to school and not have to learn how to stand on a toilet and hide in a bathroom stall.

This does not need to be our reality. The situation our government and special interest groups have created and replicated for decades is fixable. There is proof of concept with Australia and New Zealand. In 1996, Australia had a mass shooting that killed 35 people and wounded 23. In response, the prime minister pushed through gun reform laws. The law banned the sale or import of automatic or semi-automatic rifles and shotguns. Since the law was enacted, there has been one mass shooting there. Homicides from guns have decreased by 60%. After the 2019 mass shooting in New Zealand, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern passed a law that gave citizens six months to sell their guns back to the government. In 2020, they restricted guns further by creating new registries for buying and selling weapons and shorter license periods for first-time gun owners.

Lawmakers can change things for the better. They can agree to new and improved gun legislation and pass it! Our elected officials must do this but will they? Caroline Dees

Bayside: Buffalo, another mass shooting. Who is to blame? Easy answer: New York has a great red flag law. Unfortunately, the executives running this state have been asleep at the switch since the moment the law was passed. Thanks, Andrew Cuomo and Gov. Hochul, two incompetents who have been in charge for more than 11 years with no leadership. Timothy Collins

Manhattan: On page 23 of the June 6 edition of the Daily News, we have Warren Farrell explaining our boy crisis, the scourge of angry sons without fathers (Mass shootings are part of societys boy crisis, op-ed). On page 24, we have Voicers Maria Wendle and Anna Harvey telling us that true feminism is female teenagers giving birth. True feminism isnt forcing any woman or girl to bear a child she doesnt want; nor should husbandless women be blamed for mass murderers. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, Alexander Hamilton, Andrew Johnson, Rutherford B. Hayes, James Garfield, Grover Cleveland, Herbert Hoover, Gerald Ford, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton all grew up without their biological fathers around, and regardless of how you feel about them as politicians or statesmen, they all became pretty darn successful! Lets stop blaming parents for the sins of their children, and stop blaming children for the actions of their parents. Sam Katz

Manhattan: Voicer William J. Griggs claims the Second Amendmentgave civilians and militias the right to own the same weapons as the military. That is a rather liberal interpretation of the Constitution, because that document fails to distinguish civilian from military and, at the time, militias consisted of civilians who were functioning as military but not under military command (essentially, summer soldiers). Moreover, three and a half years prior to ratification of the Second Amendment, Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution had enumerated the power of Congress [t]o provide for arming the militia (it is unclear whether this referred to the formal militia, now the Reserves or National Guard, or the ragtag forces of the American Revolution, a paramilitary now illegal in every state). Without knowing what appropriations were approved, there is no way to evaluate this alleged parity. As to reliance on the Second Amendment to permanently ensure ownership of assault weapons, implicit in the Fifth Amendment is the distressing notion that a person may be deprived of any life, any liberty or any property, so long as it takes place through due process. Michele P. Brown

Queens Village: Dear Voicer George Kulick: So now animal rights people get blamed for speaking out regarding cruel glue traps but not against child massacres. What makes you think that is so? I speak out as well as others. But how would you know? Unless it is printed here in the Daily News? Unfortunately, animal rights issues are maybe a little easier to contend with than human rights issues. I dont know why or have the right answer, but stop blaming the animal rights people when you have to blame your fellow man for their self-aggrandizing adult toys. Its the same with pro-life people judging whether we care more about animals than kids. Joan Silaco

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Staten Island: For those who are complaining that Congress is broken and our representatives should be subject to term limits: We, the people, have the power to implement them. Limit senators to two terms and representatives to three by not voting for them. That is the power we possess with our vote. We dont need Congress to vote for term limits. Lets be realistic. Do you really believe our representatives are going to vote themselves out of a job? John D. Nork

Bronx: Lets see now: rampant crime, inflation nearing a recession, a crisis at the southern border, gas and food price increases, no baby formula, abortion, the war in Ukraine, the threat posed by China and Russia, nuclear confrontation, a president cognitively impaired and who poses a danger whenever he steps before a microphone and an administration in turmoil. The American people are suffering through hardship and uncertainty. But wait, help is on the way no, not so fast, its the Jan. 6 committee. It will begin its kangaroo court against former President Donald Trump. This is a distraction and a waste of the peoples time and money, and an embarrassment before the world. But I guess the left is happy with it, right Daily News? Bob Pascarella

Flushing: The Jan. 6 hearings and final report should be required school curriculum. Linda Castaldi

South Hempstead, L.I.: Homelessness is rampant and a national scandal, yet the Biden administration is letting indigent illegal immigrants into the country with no plan to absorb them. I hesitate to think about what Fifth Ave. will look like next year. Michael Quane

North Castle, N.Y.: Voicer Robert Stiegler is upset about lawyer Michael Sussmann being acquitted for lying to the FBI. He seems to have forgotten Trumpista Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and still got off scot-free. Are the Dems responsible for that? Robert Cappio

Staten Island: Voicer Douglas Clifford penned an interesting concept in his letter asking for the country to reconsider the Confederate States of America. I agree with his well-thought-out plan and believe there is only one major flaw: If we are planning on cleaning house, lets not overlook some of the other red states and their failed representatives. I salute you and welcome the idea of not ever hearing from Ted Cruz, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, Matt Gaetz, Rand Paul, Ron DeSantis, Mitch McConnell and too many others to name. Most worth celebrating would be to dismiss Donald Trump and the cult that follows him. Wow, its nice to daydream of how great this country could be without them. Thanks, fellow New Yorker Mr. Clifford, for giving me a brief moment of hope. Lynn Matteo

Manhattan: To Voicer Dominick Coluccio, who suggested that I move to Fantasy Land rather than a country whose priorities mirror my own: All I can respond with is that Im happy to visit Fantasyland in California, where sanity reigns, but I wouldnt set foot in Florida, as the governor of that state is a bullying, gaslighting and morally bankrupt dystopian leader who is taking the good people of Florida down a very bad road that I want no part of. Seems to me that your rebuttal makes my point, doesnt it? Elizabeth Winters

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Readers sound off on gun laws, the Jan. 6 hearings and a new Confederacy - New York Daily News