Buehler’s GOP problem

The problem with Knute Buehler’s claim that he is pro-choice is that he is a Republican. His Feb. 24 guest column in The Bulletin may accurately represent his personal views on abortion, but he belongs to a political party that has repeatedly supported, and passed whenever it could, the most restrictive possible anti-abortion legislation.

It is either naive or deceptive for Buehler to claim if he were to be elected governor he would be able to resist his own party on this or other social issues. Inevitably he would have to make deals with people who do not share his stated pro-choice position. Better to have a governor whose party is aligned with her own positions on social issues.

John Cushing

Bend

Crack down hard on guns

Guns don’t kill people. People use guns to kill people. We must establish a gun ownership and usage program for civilians that will minimize the use of firearms to kill people. Unfortunately, current weapons would probably be excluded due to the difficulty of confiscating these from law-abiding citizens.

However, “an eye for an eye” approach must be adopted now with both shooter and aiding parties all facing automatic death penalty.

Citizens under age 21 should not be allowed to purchase or possess automatic weapons of any kind.

For future licensing purposes, semi- and automatic weapons should be restricted to military use/ownership solely — these weapons should not be licensed for civilian use. All of us should recognize that these are weapons of war and destruction and have no place in civilian hands. Civilian arms licensing should be limited to weapons with bolt, lever or pump action.

Civilians must be 21 years of age to purchase or possess firearms in their name. Parents and/or guardians can allow minors to have .22-caliber weapons, but they are responsible for the minor’s actions. Civilian firearms could be registered with the National Rifle Association and an active program of firearm safety should be promoted by the NRA.

States have different hunting rules and regulations and must take action to protect their citizenry. We urgently need to adopt stringent rules that will make our schools and other “gathering places” safer — therefore, federal action may be more expeditious.

Bob McMillin

Redmond

Study guns

Gun control is on people’s minds again. Nobody wants another school shooting. The question being asked is “Why do these school shootings occur?”

The truth is that we do not know. A Harvard University study found mass shootings (4 or more victims not including the shooter) have increased four times since 2011. Overall gun violence is down nationwide. Few studies have been done about mass shootings. The reason why is that in 1996, Congress banned the Centers for Disease Control from doing work that could “advocate or support gun control.” Congress made budget changes at the CDC related to studies of gun violence. The message was clear. Do not study gun violence.

In the 1960s, people were being injured or dying in automobile related incidents in alarming numbers. The government studied the reasons why and Congress made changes to laws. The result was a dramatic decrease in injury and death. Safety features in cars and roads; even the EMTs and paramedics we rely on every day came from those studies. Lives were saved and continue to be saved every day because of what we learned.

The time for action is now. Jay Dickey, the congressman who wrote the CDC ban, said in 2015 that “doing nothing is no longer an acceptable solution.” The CDC needs to study the reason for these mass shootings. Knowledge is not something to fear. Until we are brave enough to study and learn, nothing will change.

Jason Herring

Redmond

Need action on guns

My thanks to Congressman Greg Walden for offering his thoughts and prayers to those whose children were murdered in the Parkland, Florida, school shooting as well as to survivors. Surely they could not ask any more from him as a U.S. congressional representative. What I would like Walden to know is that as he approaches re-election in Oregon this fall my family and friends want to extend our thoughts and prayers to him that he might have a change of heart and stop supporting the NRA agenda. We are sure he will understand that is all we are prepared to do on his behalf.

Don Kunz

Bend