Gun control in America
It’s clear to me that when the NRA and its antiquated theories of self defense are argued by proponents of unlimited armament of private citizens, logic and reason go out the door. Somehow, as untrue as they are, the words “The removal of our right to bear arms” are always thrown at those who are only proposing reasonable limits. Regarding recent letters to the editor, no political party has ever suggested that the majority of American citizens, including I, would not stand for it. It would be political suicide. Those words form a false rallying call for those who manufacture weapons, the NRA and those misguided individuals who think that if a weapon for personal self defense is good, then more and larger weapons must be better. Another argument concerning the militia, while factually correct, was absurd by modern standards. The time of a 118 million-man militia fighting tree to tree on American soil to gain feet of territory per day and thereby our freedom, ended with The War of 1812. The last need for defensive troops was to fight of a small band of Japanese soldiers that attacked a small Aleutian Island over 70 years ago in 1945.
I don’t want to deny Second Amendment rights to anyone. It is, however, my goal to bring reason and logic to the type of weapons that are allowed in mostly untrained and un-vetted hands.
Ned Sheats, Mission
Keep pets cool and safe
At least five animals have died already this year due to heat-related reasons — and these are just the deaths that have been reported. Most aren’t. Please don’t let your animal companions become statistics. Take these precautions to protect them:
Never leave animals or children in parked vehicles. On a 75-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to 104 degrees in 20 minutes, and on a 90-degree day, it can reach 119 degrees in the same amount of time. Parking in the shade, leaving the windows partially open, and/or leaving water in the vehicle will not keep vehicles cool enough to be safe.
In warm weather, never make dogs run with you. They will collapse before giving up, and by then it may be too late to save them. Walk dogs early in the morning or late at night when it’s cooler, and test the pavement with your hand to ensure it won’t burn their footpads.
Never leave animals outdoors unattended. If there are chained or penned dogs in your neighborhood, ensure that they have water (in a tip-proof container), shade, food, and shelter. If they lack these necessities, give them water and notify authorities immediately.
Visit www.PETA.org for more tips on keeping animals cool and safe this spring.
Lindsay Pollard-Post, PETA Foundation, Norfolk, Virginia
