Following the 'claw hammer' trail
Contrary to the NRA's catchy gimmicks, guns do kill people. They kill them quickly, many at a time, and often. Using the obnoxiously flippant play on words from the author of "Hammer control" (Dec. 15), I'd like to ask a few questions.
Since January 1, were there 353 mass claw hammer attacks in the U.S.? During those purported mass hammer attacks, were 455 people killed and another 1,302 people injured? Do 32,000 people, on average, die annually to hammer violence? Do we need to protect people against hammer violence or are we forced to stand by impotent because the hammer lobby spends millions of dollars defending the constitutional right of anyone, crazy or terrorist alike, to own a claw hammer?
While the grieving San Bernardino families buried their 14 dead, Congress offered only their "thoughts and prayers" for the victims. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans, including four presidential hopefuls, voted against a bill aimed at banning people on the terrorist watch list from legally buying weapons and explosives. They blocked another bill that would have expanded background checks at gun shows and online firearms sales and prevented felons and the mentally ill from acquiring weapons.
Once again NRA money triumphed, as it did in 2013 when Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Pat Tooney (R-PA) attempted to get a bipartisan amendment passed that would have created a national instant-background check system in the aftermath of the Newtown school massacre (20 children and six adults). The gun lobby, led by the NRA, spent $1,106,478 to kill that bill. How much did they spend this time?
The Week magazine offers foreign press excerpts on issues in America. In the wake of the San Bernardino shooting, one British author characterized the incident as "just another day in America." How true.
James H. Centric
Phenix City
Why dredge this up?
History is history. Good or bad, it is still history.
Twelve years ago, Sheriff's Deputy David Glisson shot and killed Kenneth Walker. Mr. Glisson was not charged, and the Walker family chose to accept $500,000 from the city of Columbus. I am assuming all parties involved were happy with the results, and that was the end of it.
Now, 12 years later, WTVM television has chosen to report on this incident.
Why? Has the Walker family requested that all of this be brought up again?
WTVM has not reported any new facts; they are reporting the same facts of 12 years ago. This incident was deemed over and done with when the city of Columbus paid the Walker family and the Walker family accepted.
Sandra Waugh
Columbus
Two faiths hijacked
In response to a genuinely terrorized and properly vetted family fleeing the civil and communal violence in Syria being placed here, the Christian governor of this state has barred them from receiving "food stamps" as a way of what? Showing them that Southern hospitality is dead? That traumatized children from the "wrong" religion should convert in order to obtain sustenance? Playing to a fearful, bigoted and seriously ignorant electorate? I suspect this inhumane perversion of a "religion of peace" comes from an extreme interpretation of Judeo/Christian holy writ. Why "moderate" Christians don't stand up to these zealots is beyond me.
If the U.S. had not created a huge power vacuum in Iraq, left acres of weapons and ammo dumps to the looters, eliminated the existing military officer corps along with the entire military and, with the help of our Iraqi puppets, driven the Sunni population into the arms of extremists, ISIS would not exist. Nor would it be able to operate financially without the help of our NATO ally, Turkey and our best buds, the Saudis.
This is of no concern to our religious extremists. Because they don't care to know it. Seriously, both Christian and Islamic extremists want very badly for the world to end and the other guy to convert or die, or something.
The recent eruption of xenophobic and racist expression and calls for violence are cause for deep concern. Their open and unabashed embrace of violence is exemplified by their reactions (or lack thereof) to the reality of police violence against black Americans, and all forms of oppression applied to workers, Palestinians, immigrants, gays, etc. That these radicals can hijack a significant part of our religious community makes a mockery of the word "community."
C.L. Martin
Columbus
Familiar problem
Today's topic is the total mismanagement of the Columbus Aquatic Center. The city again put the operation of the center out for bid, thank goodness with a clause for experience in running a pool of this size (drum roll, please) properly! The numbers came in to $400,000 over projected city costs
The only positive news regarding the CAC is it was a great idea for a growing city wanting more for its residents, Who was in charge of forecasting the center's operating costs? Not pie-in-the-sky projections, but the true costs of running a center of this size?
It was a professional idea with great possibilities, and once again we seem to have dropped the proverbial ball in a bed of nails.
Same old story, different nightmare.
Carl Kruger
Columbus
This story was originally published December 17, 2015 at 2:16 PM with the headline "Following the 'claw hammer' trail ."