The American Spectator

Reader Mail

Gunning Around

11.19.04 @ 12:01AM

THE SHOT HEARD 'ROUND THE SCHOOL
Re: Shawn Macomber's Yearbook Shots:

Just read the article about New Hampshire and its absence of both gun laws and crime. As a native Marylander who lived in NH for five years in the late 1990s/early 2000s, I had to chuckle.

The first year I lived in NH, there were about 18 murders in the whole state. In Washington, D.C., with its draconian gun laws, I think 18 people are shot every Saturday night.

I remember shopping at the Super Wal-Mart in Concord, where I could have purchased a 12-gauge shotgun, a box of shells, and a case of Budweiser and put them in the same cart.

Any state with, no sales tax, no income tax, and tax free booze is OK in my book.

The people of the Granite State have good common sense and don't abide the kind of nonsense you see so much of here in Washington, DC and other "blue states." If not for the six months of shoveling snow, I might have stayed.
-- John C. Duff
Olney, Maryland

Why should the local school policy be of concern to you? If the student was attempting to get his picture in wearing, say, a butcher's outfit or S & M paraphernalia, would you mind if the school saw it fit to block a photo of such a get up? No, you'd be on your soapbox hounding the ACLU or someone else for defending some perverts right to run roughshod over sensible school policy. Venting about the anti-gun sentiments of the administrator is a straw man argument, he is vested with powers of judgment that he can use or disabuse as long as the board that hired him sees fit to continue the contract. The schools have the right to make policy that needn't pass some constitutional muster. Fight for gun rights in the right places: in the legislatures and courts, and leave the school districts the right to establish policy. After all, it is against the law to have a gun on school grounds in every state! So why get worked up over such an obscure non-issue like that?
-- Jeremy Freedman

I understand the discrimination complaint. However, I am an ex-Marine, a current and avid hunter, and a father of 4 and a step father of 4 more. The picture shouldn't be the problem. If the photographer is of any quality, he will have props to get the hunter affect. I would think the issue should be that guns are not allowed in, near, or around any public place, like a school, unless you wear a badge. If these pictures are on school grounds or at a school gathering place, the right to bear arms is null and void. The only way anything like that could take place is with a disabled weapon and then there is still the risk of getting one slipped in that isn't. I see the level of teenage anxiety and the teen suicide rate. Columbine should have been enough to outlaw possession of all guns for all non-law enforcement people in all public areas. With all the video games training shooting and random senseless violent acts, these teens don't need any items to help them express any pent up social problems. There is nothing to stop another troubled person from bringing the live ammunition if they know this person is bringing the weapon. My children are a gift from God and I don't need one of them caught in the middle of a teenage hormonal psychotic episode that ends in a death because someone wants his dangerous weapon within public reach.
-- D.J. Prengel

Shawn Macomber replies: The pictures were taken by a professional, off-site.

AFTER THE CRACK-UP
Re: R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr.'s The Liberal Crack-Up:

Senator Kerry's wife isn't balmy, she is barmy!
-- Michelle Scholz

Thank you, Mr. R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr. I love printing out your entire name, it is so cool. I loved your column regarding the liberals' crack-up being history. I think it is sad, but true. After watching them throughout the campaign, watching them be so sure they were going to win. After all, they had it all going their way. The power of the left media, the money that poured in from many sources, including the best Bush hater of them all, one who spent millions to try and defeat him, the Hollywood glitter talking and singing up a storm, Michael Moore (MM) was there doing his quite harebrained documentary, the lack of integrity not being a problem at any time, and last but not least Mr. Kerry and his wife. When I saw them make such a fuss over MM's film I thought then they had simply lost it. Could they not see what this man is?

I think the first big clue they have not changed came today when they reacted to the story of the Marine as if he had actually done something wrong. Bingo, some ammunition for the coming impeachment they keep talking about, they might "get Bush" yet! However, I learned the liberals are big on threats, they seldom come through with them as they think the public forgets, but some don't forget.

Yup, it is still there, the lack of any real caring for their country, their troops' lives, the Iraqi people that would be left to the mercy of the Middle East leaders. They can not stop, they will not stop, they will not see what they are doing because they live in a world that is composed of the only people in the country that know the REAL facts. The feelings are leaking out, witness the treatment of Ms. Rice. Totally beyond the pale, cartoons that should have the people who penned them sent to a class on decency and integrity in the media. The sickness is showing, they cannot control themselves anymore, they have no real leader to say stop, they do not even listen to the big man Clinton. He knows better and has told them many times to stop and find some issues to work on to show the public they care somewhat about them.

They still believe that having the left media will bring them what they want, perhaps they did not notice they lost the election, smart as they claim to be. They do not seem to realize the voters do not hang on every word spoken by Peter, Tom, and Dan anymore. They lost their credibility with their own games played throughout the election. Times are changing, the truth comes out in spite of their never showing or speaking about it. They have become people who just are not respected as they once were, far from it. Even the stupid, classless, pick-up trucks with the guns in the back rednecks see through them now. Think about how it would be if they did not have the protection and half-truths the media spins regarding them? Imagine an honest news program that reported the good and the bad. Fox comes close and is far superior to them and has made a huge difference in how people see the overwhelming bias from the others.

Letter to the Editor

topics:
Foreign Policy, John McCain, Hollywood, Constitution, Law, Military, Iraq, NATO, Libertarianism