Opinion

Letter to the Editor: Why Alan Weber Should Be Nominee

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Seeking the Democrat’s Gubernatorial Nominee

By CARL NEWTON
Los Alamos

Alan Webber is the candidate in the five-way gubernatorial race who ought to be the leading choice to represent the Democrats in November for two essential reasons. Alan has not only the platform and the leadership abilities for leading from the Governor’s Office the next eight years, but is the only candidate who can prove the prognosticators that declare the Democrats can’t win that office in November are wrong.

I have been following this race closely for several months, and have had personal interactions Read More

Letter to the Editor: Gun Free Zones Might Better Be Called Defenseless Victim Zones

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By THOMAS J. FARISH
Los Alamos

I hardly know where to begin to address the recent letter by Miranda Viscoli about gun violence. I have seldom seen more misinformed opinions and even dangerous demands in a single missive.

I’ll start with her dangerous demand that local businesses put up “Gun Free Zone” placards in their windows to prevent concealed carry holders from entering their stores. Is Ms.Viscoli truly unaware that all of the schoolchildren she claims to care about were shot in “Gun Free Zones”? 

Does she really believe that a piece of paper in a window Read More

Letter to the Editor: Valuing Every Individual Key to Ending Mass Revenge Killings

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By RICHARD HANNEMANN
Los Alamos

A lot is being said about gun control in the wake of stunning mass violence with the use of guns.

Yes, firearms give an individual capacity to create carnage. And, no, I’m not going to the “when guns are illegal only criminals will have guns” argument. True criminals use guns to commit a particular crime, usually the illicit acquisition of money. Most would actually prefer not to actually fire the weapon, waving it around and frightening people is the point.

Gun registration makes it easier for law enforcement to track these people Read More

Letter to the Editor: Fire Arms in America

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By GERALDINE M. ANTOS
Los Alamos

Well…enough is enough!

As one fire arm owner I want to chime in and set some of the record straight.

First off I have purchased several firearms at gun shows and was immediately background checked. So to say there are no background checks at gun shows is a fallacy and big pile of you know what.

Miranda Viscoli spouted off some statistics that if viewed by themselves are pretty hard to swallow. But when you consider that knives, baseball bats and yes, hammers kill three times more people every year then firearms. Yet I don’t see anyone trying to put forth legislation for

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Letter to the Editor: ‘Not One More’

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By MIRANDA VISCOLI
Santa Fe

The father of Chris Martinez, the young student whose life was ended by a gunshot wound in the Santa Barbara mass shooting, said to the press in an emotional speech regarding the tragedy, “When will this insanity stop? Too many have died. We should say to ourselves … not one more.” 

He ended the speech blaming the NRA and irresponsible politicians for the massacre. 

There have been 72 school shootings in the 17 months since Sandy Hook. How many children have to die before the gun lobby grows a conscience? 

Like the cigarette industry before them, they seem Read More

Letter to the Editor: Whether With the Pen or Gun, It Helps To Hit the Target

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By KHALIL SPENCER
Los Alamos

Vincent Chravalle’s recent Los Alamos Daily Post letter regarding gun control has been followed by a series of opinions on the subject including a scathing one by John Pawlak attacking National Rifle Association members. This elicited a response by Dee Alei, questioning Mr. Pawlak’s choice of tactics, insulting his opponents rather than attacking the quality of their ideas or lack thereof.

Rarely does anything rile up residents of Los Alamos to the point of replacing reason with vitriol; that one thing being roundabouts. But even during the most Read More

Letter to the Editor: Time For New, Less Caustic ‘Literary Style’

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By DEE ALEI
Los Alamos

In response to John Pawlak’s column entitled Children of the NRA, I would like to rebut with a few comments of my own. 

 
First, let me say that I have no strong feelings with respect to the NRA. In that regard, I am not one of Mr. Pawlak’s moronic, placard-carrying, gun-crazed hussies who have trouble locating their own brain stem. I am neither for nor against the NRA, although I am married to someone who enjoys hunting and keeping our freezer stocked with organic, grass-fed meat. 
 
My husband is actually a tremendously nice man, with a competitive
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Letter to the Editor: It Isn’t Just Career Criminals Who Use Guns to Kill

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By BILL JOHNSON
Los Alamos

I should like to respond to the unfortunate, unwise, and in some regards, contrafactual Letter to the Editor from Vincent Chiravalle with the title “Leave Lawful Gun Owners and Sportsman[sic] Alone.” 

Mr. Chiravalle characteristically misses a very important point in this conversation, namely that “tough, mandatory sentences for gun crimes” have little deterrent value for crimes of passion, and none whatsoever for perpetrators who have decided to take their own lives along with others.

The following story is true, with the name Read More

Letter to the Editor: County Ordinance 02-223 and Firearms Rights

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By KHALIL SPENCER
Los Alamos

In a Letter to the Editor in the Los Alamos Daily Post, Mr. Vincent Chiravalle conflates a 2012 County ordinance regulating the discharge of firearms and archery equipment within the county with gun control laws meant to prevent the commission of violent gun crimes but as an unfortunate side effect of these laws, place the burden for compliance on law abiding citizens.

Here is the ordinance in question:

Sec. 28-181. Discharging firearms and other hunting devices.

It is unlawful to fire or discharge a firearm or any muzzleloader of any description within 1,000 yards, Read More

Letter to the Editor: Leave Lawful Gun Owners and Sportsman Alone

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By VINCENT CHIRAVALLE
Candidate for State Representative, Dist. 43

Criminals don’t play by the rules. New regulations on law abiding gun owners are not going to deter violent gun crimes. There are already numerous restrictions on the sale, use and possession of firearms and ammunition. I oppose new regulations, including background checks at gun shows.

Instead we need to focus on measures that will improve physical security at our public schools and we need to support tough, mandatory sentences for gun crimes. Law enforcement organizations have long recognized the positive role of civilian Read More