Sheriff Nelson should back gun control

I voted for Deschutes County Sheriff Shane Nelson in the last election. I thought he was a level-headed individual who understood the balance needed between the safety of our society and the basic rights of individual Americans. I was wrong.

His latest public stand against the ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines makes me wonder where his priorities lie. Obviously not with the overall safety of the citizens of Deschutes County.

You can read numerous opinions of societal and behavioral experts who question the need of individuals to own and use dangerous weapons that were designed for military, not civilian, use. You don’t need a rapidly repeating weapon with a magazine of 30 bullets to down a deer, elk or other legal prey.

Although I question the applicability of the Second Amendment in today’s society, I am not a foe of it. Our citizens have the right to own and use rifles and pistols for hunting, self-defense and target practice. But this doesn’t include the right to own and use weapons that are designed purely to maim and kill people. I, for one, will not support law enforcement officials who don’t have the public’s safety as their priority.

Dennis Smeage

Sunriver

Move to clean energy

The other day I noticed the multiple stationary oil tanker cars on the train track along Highway 97 in Bend. It occurred to me how closely they pass by the Deschutes River, a river on which Bend tourism, recreation and farming rely. I thought to myself that someday we will not need to worry about the threats to rivers and oceans that fossil fuel exploration and transport pose. We also will not have the air pollution from fossil fuels that contributes to so many cases of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other respiratory diseases that burden our country’s healthcare systems.

Someday the U.S. will have evolved completely to clean energy generation sources. Unfortunately, since many of our current elected officials are financed by and invested in the fossil fuel industry, complete conversion to clean energy may still be years off. Meanwhile, other more enlightened countries are moving away from fossil fuel dependence and moving toward a cleaner and healthier future.

Gail Sabbadini

Bend

Sheriff is wrong about guns

Deschutes County Sheriff Shane Nelson is certainly able to voice his opinions. The First Amendment is one of the philosophical pillars of our country.

However, I will also exercise my right to free speech to express my concern about the sheriff’s common sense.

His support of assault weapons designed to kill people seems to be a stance that is counterintuitive to a man who runs a department where subordinates could encounter a crime scene in which the perpetrators outgun law enforcement. Taken in context, the Second Amendment is logical and supportable.

In the 21st century, perverting the intent of that document to protect the rights of citizens to own weapons of mass killing is a sad commentary on civilization. Sheriff Nelson’s right to his opinion is respected, if not comprehended. However, as an elected law officer of this county, I question his judgment and at election time will look for a candidate with a very different opinion on semi-automatic weapons.

Michael Hudson

Bend

Support gun rights

I do not like laws that are passed against the safety of the citizens of Oregon. How are we supposed to protect ourselves against evil people? These laws are not passed to protect citizens, but are passed to protect those who pass the laws. Think about it. If a candidate is not for giving us the weapons we need for self-defense, then don’t vote for them.

Phillip Faulkner

Grants Pass