Enough already; regulate guns
Almost daily, I awaken to the soul-numbing sameness of a new horror: Another hate-drenched madman has used legally purchased weapons of mass destruction to slaughter innocent people.
This must stop. Now. No more inane, hypocritical prayers by Republican lawmakers too cowardly to support any regulation of Second Amendment rights. We must begin to protect the rights of all to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Universal background checks, red-flag laws, and an assault weapons ban accompanied by a buy-back program would be a good start.
We are rightly zealous to protect the unborn from abortion. We seem equally zealous to remove all protection from children after they are born, with too many suffering the unspeakable terrors of going to the mall on the wrong day. Why?
Herbert K. Lea
Chickamauga, Ga.
Columnist needs to check facts
In Star Parker's May 7 commentary, "A History Lesson for 2024," she says Ronald Reagan "never budged an inch off his plans, promises, and principles." She needs to do more research. His program emphasized supply-side tax cuts and reducing the size and scope of government.
Under Reagan, the national debt tripled from $914 billion to $2.7 trillion, and his administration never submitted a balanced budget. His 1981 tax bill eliminated such forms of government income as business profits, capital gains, oil revenues and inheritances. Reagan raised taxes four times, and in 1982 he passed the largest peacetime tax increase in our history. He pushed through higher payroll taxes on workers and repealed a windfall profits tax on energy producers worth $12 billion.
In addition, the federal civilian workforce increased from 2.9 million to 3.1 million; the savings and loan collapse cost taxpayers almost $160 billion. In the 1980s, incomes rose 44% in non-inflation adjusted dollars for people earning $20,000 to $50,000, and 2,184% for those who earned more than a million.
For some, it was "Morning in America." For others, it was "Mourning in America."
Michael V. Woodward
Boycott Bud Light, but buy a gun
Over the past several months, two stories have dominated the news cycle.
First, the unimaginable audacity of Anheuser Busch Brewing company of alienating its hard-core, right-wing customers by having limited promotion of Bud Light for a transgender athlete in Canada.
Second, the mass shootings all across the nation, many of which involve semiautomatic weapons.
Actions have consequences. Now Anheuser Busch sales have dropped 20%, bar owners have stopped serving Bud Light and real men have boycotted the brand.
The consequences for the second story are not quite as apparent. In fact, there seems to be none. State legislatures are still loosening gun laws, the NRA is still pushing its agenda, and Second Amendment rights groups are not shaken in their beliefs.
What does this say about our country? No one is calling for a boycott of gun manufacturers or restriction of gun sales. But people are afraid that if you drink a certain kind of beer it will lower your testosterone level. The obvious solution is to go out and buy a gun. That will show your friends that you're still a real man.
William Hubers
East Ridge