LETTERS: Make sensible changes to our gun laws

The time has come for the country to move forward with sensible changes to our gun control laws; the majority of citizens approve sensible controls. While it is true that guns by themselves don’t kill, guns in the hands of those who are mentally ill or have hatred do kill. We have seen it time and time again.

While we cannot stop all the killing, we need to unify to minimize the frequency and sheer volume of these mass shootings. We, as citizens, cannot feel safe knowing that someone can arbitrarily use us as target practice with a weapon that can shoot 400 to 800 rounds a minute. Therefore, bump stocks must be made illegal. Having regulations on the sale of guns from gun shops, but not in other venues is self defeating; regulations must be expanded to include any and all purchases of guns in any venue. We need to stop making excuses and take positive steps to make our country safe again.

Barbara Marion, Palos Hills

Allow video gaming in city

Stop all the insane taxes. Allow video gaming in the city limits. Video gaming will also balance the city budget.

Patrick T. Fegan, West Loop

Efficient local government

I would like to respond to a recent Viewpoint article that ran titled “Cheer efforts to remake government.”

The article mentions the need for governments to be more efficient with taxpayer money, implying that as a whole, Illinois townships are included in the lot of poor stewards of taxpayer funds. In fact, the opposite of that is true.

The mindset that Illinois townships are more efficient than larger units of government isn’t just a talking point we use — it’s based on fact. An analysis by public policy researcher Wendell Cox discovered that smaller, local governments have lower costs per capita than larger governments.

Providing low-cost service to the taxpayer is at the core of what we do and in our mind, that’s service that deserves to be preserved.

Bryan Smith, executive director,

Township Officials of Illinois

What our Founders thought

A recent letter opined that we have lost our moral way. I agree with this. However, he also stated that the country’s founders believed religion and morality were necessary for our country to succeed. This is incorrect. Our founders believed in a separation of church and state, and some did not even believe in God. They did not want a national religion, and the Constitution contains no reference to God. The writer also mentioned the Second Amendment. The founders were familiar with guns that took quite a while to be loaded and reloaded. I highly doubt they would have been on board with assault weapons and guns with a magazine capable of killing hundreds in minutes.

Sandra Orr, Gurnee

Lives could have been saved

Many on the far right are saying this mass shooting should not be politicized and that we should all be praying for those who were victims of this horrible tragedy. Yet, if these far-right politicians had the moral fortitude and common sense to impose some reasonable gun control laws, there might be no victims to pray for.

Daniel Pupo, Orland Park

Hypocrite

Republican Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, the governor elected by the Koch brothers, who decimated unions and underfunded education, now wants to abandon real conservative principles and give Foxconn $3 billion of taxpayer money to open a large plant in Wisconsin to make components for Apple phones. Yes, the same phones that are assembled in China while the profits are shielded from U.S. taxes in Ireland by a process called tax “inversion.” So, I guess it’s OK to be a hypocrite and embrace socialism for giant corporations as long as you can lure business to your state using taxpayer funds.

Ah, but you say it creates thousands of jobs. Do you think that the people Foxconn hires will ever offset the $3 billion? No way. And, when the plant ages, do you think Foxconn will want another handout from Gov. Walker? You bet. Do you think they will move to another state if the governor doesn’t give them more concessions? Of course.

Socialism for business and the rich.

Tom Minnerick, Elgin