LETTERS: Tiresome hatred, Accessing firearms

Tiresome hatred

Has anybody gotten tired of continuous hate, day in and day out? People must go to bed at night and dream of how to hate people who don’t think like they do.

There is one individual from Brownsville who must salivate just waiting to write his hate. He’s not the only one; there are plenty others here in the Valley.

The media are bought by those in power and they choose what to publish. A whole lot of Donald Trump and family and silence on Joe Biden and his family. What happened to being unbiased?

Ruben Garcia

Harlingen

Accessing firearms

In America people have an easy way to obtain firearms. In the 1960s anyone could just walk in at any gun show and buy anything and everything he wanted, no questions asked. Background checks did not exist at the time. Criminals could easily purchase guns and dispose of them after committing a crime.

I always felt that gun shows were a candy store for criminals. I never cared to do any business with them for that one reason.

I clearly remember how easy it was for me in 1970, at 20 years old, to walk up to a Sears sports counter where I saw a beautiful 30-30 Winchester rife labeled “Canadian centennial” 1869-1969 for $699 and walk out like it was no different than buying a pair of shoes.

Unthinkable today. At 20 years old I had a full-time job at a Chrysler factory where the 318 V8 and 340 V8 engines were machined from cast iron parts and tested before they were installed in new vehicles.

I was living my dream. In my last year of high school, I had just a few classes to take because of all the summer classes I took to cut my journey short. So I enrolled in a night course to get a degree in advanced auto mechanics, thinking clearly when drafted into the military and I did have my draft card, that I might get some experience there with a degree in auto mechanics and learn to take care of my own vehicle and use that as experience when applying for a job in the public sector. That degree helped me the rest of my life. I began to have an interest in firearms after I retired, when friends would tell me to get a hobby to keep my mind occupied. I made a bucket list, to get a concealed carry permit. Once I did, I felt I needed more training and information on the law to avoid any pitfalls.

And my journey began in that direction. I joined a firing range club where members were eager to help me increase my knowledge on firearms to avoid mechanical problems with them and stripping and cleaning them. I also bought several books on gun laws written by lawyers on how to avoid making a mistake that may land you in prison and that was an eye opener and very helpful.

I got the permit to participate in my right to bear arms, but I do not carry daily or plan to use it to stop criminal activity, I leave that to the police, and avoid lawyers and prison time.

One thing I do enjoy is the range time. I made many friends who just enjoy life and time talking there. I am in a friendly place.

One lawyer said it very straight: If your life or a loved one’s life is threatened and you pull that trigger, be aware that our court system is not your friend and keep in mind that your decision to pull the trigger may very well mean 30 years in prison. Keep that in mind before you act. Think about your future.

Rafael Madrigal

Pharr

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