Hypocritical gun debate over Pretti killing
As a longtime volunteer in the gun violence prevention movement, I’ve heard the arguments for why open-carry gun laws are good for citizens and not harmful for law enforcement many times. These arguments, which I don’t agree with, often come from lawmakers who vote down any form of gun control. Now, many of the same people who’ve argued for decades in favor of open carry are blaming the killing of Alex Pretti on the gun he was carrying — the gun he was carrying openly and legally under state laws. It turns out those folks are only in favor of open carry for people who agree with them and wield that right in the ways they see fit. I realize it’s quaint in this age of boldfaced lies and bad-faith arguments to point out hypocrisy. But Alex Pretti deserves better. We all do.
Adrienne Egolf Orlando
End closed primaries
Thanks to Professor Michael J. Polelle for his column about the unfairness of Florida’s closed primaries (“Florida’s white primary history haunts its closed primaries,” Jan. 25). When my husband and I moved here from Virginia in 2014, he was rudely awakened by the fact that he, an independent, couldn’t vote in that year’s midterm elections. He has since registered with one of the two major parties — because there’s no other way in our present system. Having been a lifelong Democrat, I recently joined the ranks of the politically unaffiliated after I lost faith in my party when it meekly backed down during the government shutdown, believing that Republicans would be reasonable regarding funding the Affordable Care Act. As Polelle eloquently explained, now I too won’t have a voice in selecting my representatives, which I actually did at one time in my purple 7th District until it was gerrymandered to red. Surely it’s obvious that this voter suppression must end. Voting in all elections is a right that all Americans should have all of the time, regardless of affiliation.
Gemma Dehnbostel Maitland
Stop the lying
When Terry Szuplat, President Obama’s speech writer said, “Had I written this book a decade ago, I’m not sure I would have felt the need to devote an entire chapter to the importance of telling the truth,” I understood exactly how he felt. Our elected officials in Washington are a pack of liars.
The killing and execution of Renee Good and Alex Pretti and the horrible lies perpetuated by this government are abhorrent. To call these two victims “domestic terrorists” and denigrate the mayor, governor, and citizens of Minnesota is appalling. In my view, Trump and his minions’ hateful, lying rhetoric is killing American citizens and immigrants. He is dehumanizing anyone who is not in agreement with his agenda. The physical attack on Democratic congressman Maxwell Frost was perpetrated by a man screaming insults and invoking Trump’s name to justify his hate. The lies that paint Democrats, people of color, immigrants and anyone whose beliefs are not aligned with Trump as somehow unpatriotic or enemies of the state is terrorizing decent people who love this country. When will we stand up against the lies that are destroying our country and call them out as soon as they are spoken? If not now, we may never get another chance.
Harriett Williams Deltona
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