Weapons at community celebrations are very wrong
I am writing in regard to the recent Associated Press article published in the IJ concerning Missouri’s gun rights and laws (“Gun rights expansive in Missouri, scene of Chiefs’ parade shooting,” Feb. 17).
The state permits most everyone, even minors, to carry guns in public. Missouri’s mentality appears to be that the more armed law-abiding citizens there are, the more they can assist police during an insurrection. This clearly didn’t occur in the Kansas City shooting during the Super Bowl celebration.
Attacks on public gatherings have become a form of guerilla warfare, used quite effectively by terrorists. The attacker uses sudden surprise by opening fire in a peaceful setting to create mass panic, fright and confusion. Having multiple well-intentioned citizens draw guns in defense could cause responding law enforcement uncertainty in identifying the actual shooters. For most public attacks in crowds, such as in Kansas City, attendees immediately seek shelter and protection, especially for children.
The original unamended U.S. Constitution calls for the “organizing, arming and training” of a state militia to “suppress insurrection.” I suggest that peaceful community “militias” should be considered instead. They might consist of responsible local citizens undergoing training to assist and interact with law enforcement and security to protect the public at heavily attended events.
They could pass information to isolate an incident at its source, help with evacuation as required and only use weapons if directly threatened. There are many auxiliary groups currently in existence assisting various professional services.
Sensible, responsible citizens have every right to own weapons in self-defense, but carrying them individually to crowded venues is of little value or support.
— Chuck Viebrock, Novato
Survey Marin reservoirs to assess their capacity
I read, with hope, about the Marin Municipal Water District’s recently adopted five-year plan (“Marin Municipal Water District adopts five-year strategic plan,” Feb. 16).
I was looking for some real innovative thinking, but was disappointed. I do not see real vision in this plan.
I propose that a few engineers do a bottom survey of the reservoirs and determine how much soil and sediment has been carried into these bodies of water, as well as a survey of the changing environment by displacing actual water that these dams were designed to hold. I don’t remember bottom surveys of these lakes and reservoirs being proposed during my 59 years of living in Marin.
By dredging the accumulated sediment from these places, more water is actually available. Yes, engineers will need to be hired to calculate the actual load on the dam. And removing dirt will cost money — just like the rest of MMWD’s plans cost money.
By looking at the original specs for the dams, as well as the reduced capacity due to service time and age, I think we could be holding on to more water than we are now.
We need to look at the actual water retained by these structures. A real increase in supply can be attained at the cost of natural environmental changes as time goes by.
— Joseph Brooke, Point Reyes Station
U.S. should push Hamas to release Israeli hostages
According to confirmed reports, more than 30,000 Gazans have died during the Israel-Hamas war. Many of the deaths are children.
I think the U.S. should petition the Hamas terrorists to release the Israeli hostages. I believe the death toll would be much lower if the hostages would have been released or never taken.
In another part of Europe, several hundred thousand Ukrainians have been killed in the war with Russia. Yet, a very small percentage have been children. In my opinion, the difference is that Ukrainian soldiers fight from in front of their children. The Hamas terrorists fight from behind them.
— Chet Seligman, Point Reyes Station
Biden should speak on behalf of Palestinian kids
I wish President Joe Biden would care for the thousands of Palestinian children killed during the Israel-Hamas war as much as he appears to care about the death of Russian prisoner Alexei Navalny. We have not learned much from history.
— Ivonne van Buuren, San Anselmo
