Global warming concerns
“As greenhouse gases increase, sea levels are rising, average global temperatures are increasing, and severe weather patterns are accelerating. These changes, coupled with other global dynamics, … will devastate homes, land and infrastructure.”
Is this statement from a) the Sierra Club, b) the Democratic Party platform, or c) recently uncovered documents confirming a Chinese plot to harm American manufacturing?
The answer is actually d) none of the above. It’s from the Department of Defense, which has expressed concern about climate change since George W. Bush’s administration. Dozens of DOD documents on this issue can be accessed online.
In his news conference on the omnibus spending bill, President Donald Trump lauded the armed services and said that his “highest duty is to keep America safe.”
However, with respect to climate change, President Trump is placing ideology above country. That’s why the Department of Defense can clearly state that climate change is a national security threat, yet the Trump administration, which is usually so supportive of our military, can continue to dismiss it.
We must urge our members of Congress to protect America’s security by recognizing the threat posed by climate change and taking a leadership role regarding climate action.
Terry Hansen, Oak Creek, Wisconsin
Second Amendment supported
On Feb. 27, the left-leaning website vox.com published an article on mass shootings that occurred from January 2009 through December 2016. The article states changes to gun laws will not save lives by preventing 18-year-olds from purchasing firearms. Of the 156 mass shootings since 2009, 11 of the shooters were under the age of 21. Only two of the 11 shooters under the age of 21 used a rifle in their crime spree. Only one legally purchased his rifle. The overwhelmingly majority of mass shootings are committed using handguns.
All semi-automatic rifles fire the exact same way, and at the same rate of speed, by squeezing the trigger for each round fired. That includes your grandfather’s old Remington 740 deer hunting rifle, and the very modern AR-15 rifle. There is no difference in how they operate or how fast they can fire.
So why is there a movement to prohibit the sale of so-called “assault” rifles when handguns are used to commit most mass shootings?
Why is there a movement to prohibit individuals under the age of 21 from purchasing a rifle when those very same individuals are permitted to vote? The logic defeats me. On second thought there is no logic to the movement except I believe it is a first step in taking all our guns away.
Darrell Williams Sr., McAllen
