LA Times Letters Responding to my February 6th, 2004 piece
Los Angeles Times
February 11, 2004 Wednesday
Home Edition
SECTION: CALIFORNIA; Metro; Editorial Pages Desk; Part B; Pg. 12
LENGTH: 317 words
HEADLINE: Gun Rights Amid Security Crackdown
BODY:
Re " Gun Control Remains a Loaded Issue for Democratic Candidates," by
John Lott Jr. and Grover Norquist, Commentary, Feb. 6: I am a
"latte-drinking" liberal who learned how to properly handle and shoot guns
before I was in high school. In my opinion, schools should teach every child how
to handle a gun long before he or she gets to high school. Education and
understanding are the basis of our freedoms, including the 2nd Amendment.
I do not currently own a gun. However, if the Republican ideology continues
to gain dominance in this country, that will change. Increasingly, I see the
Republican right embracing fascism in the suppression of dissent; communism in
wholesale government subsidies for the biggest businesses; and narcissism in the
misguided claim that its violent, greedy, self-centered ideology is somehow
compassionate. If George W. Bush is reelected, I expect to see storm troopers.
When jackbooted men begin dragging vocal dissenters from their homes, the true
value of the 2nd Amendment will become evident, even to liberal Democrats who
have never handled a gun.
David L. Hagan
Pismo Beach
*
Lott and Norquist talk about gun control as though they are independent
experts on the issue, but nothing could be further from the truth. While
Norquist correctly notes that he is the head of Americans for Tax Reform, it
must have slipped his mind that he is also a long-standing board member of the
National Rifle Assn.
Lott and Norquist claim that the man charged with violating a city handgun
ban in Wilmette, Ill., had "met state regulations" for registering his
handgun, which is not true. In reality, his state registration was expired,
meaning that he was also in violation of state gun laws. Perhaps if Lott and
Norquist were more forthcoming, they could overcome some of the credibility gap
they have created.
Updated Media Analysis of Appalachian Law School Attack
Since the first news search was done additional news stories have been
added to Nexis:
There are thus now 218 unique stories, and a total of 294 stories counting
duplicates (the stories in yellow were duplicates): Excel file for
general overview and specific stories. Explicit mentions of defensive gun use
increase from 2 to 3 now.