Closing the gun-show loophole more important than red flag laws
Get real about would-be murderers
I applaud the Star-Telegram’s Jan. 16 editorial advocating for a state red-flag law to curtail mass shootings. (9A, “Texas Gov. Abbott must lead on law to curtail mass shootings”) But I’m afraid that until the gun-show loophole is closed and military assault weapons are banned, it would be like trying to protect Americans from the rain of gun violence with half an umbrella.
No person intent on murder who has a history of mental illness, criminal activity or domestic violence is going to buy a gun from a dealer who requires a background check. He would go to a gun show.
Such a person carrying an AK-47 could kill dozens of men, women and children before any good gun-toting hero-wannabes could even pull their guns out of their holsters.
- Sharon Austry, Fort Worth
The Republicans are in charge now
So now, the pseudo-trial of President Donald Trump has moved to the Senate. I hope someone informs Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Reps. Jerrold Nadler and Adam Schiff that they are no longer in charge of this imaginative fiasco.
These people could be pitied if they weren’t so dangerous.
- Wayne Pricer, Edgecliff Village
Second Amendment about militia
The intent of the Second Amendment is to prevent the confiscation of the weapons of militia members. Far too many people focus on the last part of the amendment, instead of the first. The subject is the militia, not the everyday citizenry.
- Carl Aldrich, Fort Worth
Tired of things I disagree with
May I recommend Walter Williams, Cal Thomas or Michelle Malkin as columnists? Any would be a reasoned and rational balance to the hate-filled, anti-President Donald Trump vitriol of Eugene Robinson.
If the opinion editors of the Star-Telegram claim to be journalists and not propagandists, please have some respect and consideration for the many thousands of your subscribers who are conservative and not leftist. This is Texas, not California.
- Alan Dodd, Fort Worth
Corruption makes it to home plate
The endless corruption of the Trump administration has given us the gold standard for self-dealing and profit-taking from public “service.” Is the atmosphere of corruption now so prevalent that it seeps out from this administration into Congress, the courts and our society at large?
Witness the debasement of our national pastime: The worst cheating scandal of all time (yes, worse than the Black Sox) has rocked Major League Baseball. Coincidence?
- Charles Stonick, Granbury
Not skeptical of Trump’s account
I am not a supporter of President Donald Trump. I believe media outlets such as CNN and the Star-Telegram. But the Jan. 10 wire story, “Trump: General was plotting to blow up US embassy” (8A) referred to the president’s “unsubstantiated account” of the attack on Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani.
We’re told Republicans and Democrats are frustrated with Trump. Which ones? “Aides” say Trump was angry and therefore ordered the attack. Which aides?
I assume the administration was presented with conclusive intelligence before acting. I’ll have to rely on good decision-making from this administration, not something I normally do.
- Connie McCollum, Arlington
This story was originally published January 21, 2020 at 5:00 AM.