Counterproductive Gun Laws
The gun laws proposed by the legislature (“State Legislature Meets To Hammer Out New Gun Law”) are based on common fallacies and misconceptions. The notion that if we issue more gun carry licenses it will result in more gun-related chaos is proven wrong almost every day. In 2021, over 90,000 gun licenses were issued in New York. Of the daily shootings and killings, how many of them are committed by licensed gun owners? Probably none.
Governor Hochul says, “We are creating a definitive list of sensitive locations where individuals will not be able to carry firearms.” Unfortunately, the only people who will pay attention to this list are law-abiding, licensed gun owners. Does she really think someone intent on mass murder will leave his gun outside because the establishment doesn’t allow guns on premises?
Ironically, such a “sensitive” list would do the precise opposite of its intent. It would serve as an itinerary for potential mass murderers as to which locations they can “safely” unleash their mayhem – and there’ll be nobody there (with a gun) to stop them! What a plan!
Then, you hear the argument that inexperienced gun owners may accidentally hurt themselves or others. Although this does happen on rare occasions, the number of lives that could be saved by a licensed gun owner by thwarting even one massacre, could conceivably be more than the number of lives lost in an entire year of “accidents.”
Anyone can learn proper use of a firearm, just like anyone can learn to drive or operate machinery. Besides, within the confines of a classroom, for example, it doesn’t take a marksman to shoot someone fifteen feet away.
Josh Greenberger
Brooklyn, N.Y.
It’s Not Over ’Til It’s Over
I am a regular reader of Rachel Bluth’s column and appreciate her perspective and advice. However, I must take issue with her statement that “Covid is over” in her response to a letter writer in her July 8th column. The CDC recently reported a serious jump in Covid cases and hospital admissions since May of this year. I believe that she is doing a disservice to her trusting readers, who, according to the CDC, should still be vigilant about this virus.
M. Friedman
Via email
More Support for Police
The safety in New York City is of great concern to everyone who lives and works in this wonderful city. The police department must have the requisite funds to keep New Yorkers safe. Further, New York City should assign thousands of police officers to all shuls, yeshivot, malls and many other “hot spots.”
Raquel Hanon
Via email
Laughs To Remember
I have been reading Arnold Fine’s “I Remember When” column for many years, and continue to do so now that they are “reruns.” While some of the humor may not hold up so well to time (and few people may understand the references), the nostalgia in these columns is always fun to read.
However, the recent column, “Our Mideast Foreign Policy Mavens Continue” (July 15) was literally hysterical. Never mind that Mrs. Mermel’s ideas for peace (didn’t it used to be Mermelstein?) were too ridiculous to be credible from the brain of anyone. Mr. Fine paints a scene worthy of Groucho Marx.
Bear in mind that this was written, according to the blurb at the bottom, at the time of the Six-Day War, when everyone was hoping for a miracle. Along comes Arnold Fine and makes us laugh. Thank you for reprinting these old-time columns from a bygone era.
Robert Schwartz
Florida
A Plan Without a Planner
The Jewish Press op-ed (“Biden Must Ask Our Mideast Allies A Simple Question: What Do You Need?” by Sandra Parker, July 15) lays out a solid agenda for what President Biden should do to achieve a reasonable hope for peace in the region. This ignores the president’s cognitive decline, which is becoming increasingly obvious to the international community, including Biden’s embarrassing himself and the U.S. every time he steps into the public without being propped up or edited afterwards. (Or maybe he is too far gone to be embarrassed about things like trying to shake hands with an empty space.)
But thinking about what the American president “should do” internationally is less useful than writing about how to replace him with someone who can win back the respect of world leaders.
Miriam A.
Via email
