Kyle's Law in NH: Guns don't create violence, people do — Letters

Nov. 28 — To the Editor:

Once again state Rep. Katherine Rogers can’t see the forest through the trees as she rails for more gun control (Kyle’s Law a wolf in sheep’s clothing). Calling it "common-sense reforms" doesn’t alter the fact that guns don’t create violence, people do. No matter how many laws are created, if someone is going to do an unlawful, evil deed against another person, breaking another gun law is not a deterrence.

Rep. Rogers commentary: Reject Kyle's law. It would make the people of New Hampshire less safe.

Rep. Rogers apparently does not understand our judicial system and the role of a jury. They are not asked to "make a judgement on the performance of the prosecutor." Their ONLY job is to render a verdict of guilty or not guilty based on the evidence presented at trial.

Her characterization that “’Stand your Ground," "Concealed Carry laws’ and "Kyle's Law’ will only add to the idea that we are less a civilized government than a self-policing, "shoot ‘em up" tribal anarchy that lives by the rule of survival of the fittest” doesn’t mention one key required element. "Stand Your Ground" and "Kyle's Law"/self-defense won’t even apply unless you are already threatened with serious bodily injury. Concealed carry is just that – "concealed" and unless the carrier is threatened, the firearm stays "concealed and safely secured."

However, the "less than a civilized government and survival of the fittest" scenario seems to fit many of the large cities (Chicago, Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, New York City, Detroit and Baltimore). Most of these cities have VERY strict gun control laws. Go after the root causes and not the tool. That will reduce gun violence.

Chris Carr

Newmarket

Voter integrity is alive and well in Greenland, NH

Nov. 22 — To the Editor:

Greenland voters have a history of getting out to vote and we do so knowing that we are participating in a fair, transparent and accurate process. Like many cities and towns across the state, Greenland uses AccuVote machines which are not connected to the internet and are simply vote tabulators. These are the only machines approved for use in NH by the Ballot Law Commission.

Casting doubt: Hampton selectman joins effort to remove NH voting machines

Greenland switched to voting machines when its population climbed over 2,500. There has never been a contested election and only one recount where the hand count confirmed the machine results. More importantly, there is a strict process ensuring a proper chain of command that is followed by the town administrator, town election officials and members of the select board. These individuals are committed to upholding a democratic process that ensures a free and open election where all votes count.

With a proven voting system that has withstood test after test, why would Greenland residents want to end a successful process? Celebrate the integrity of Greenland’s elections by voting “NO” on Dec. 18 (8 a.m.-7 p.m.).

Morey Goodman and Pamela Diamantis

Greenland

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin is a fossil fuel lobbyist

Nov. 23 — To the Editor:

The media needs to stop calling West Virginia U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin a “centrist.” He is not a centrist; he is a fossil fuel industry lobbyist who also happens to be a senator, with large investments in fossil fuels.

Jim Mastro

Dover

Unborn babies have every right to live. Abortion is just wrong.

Nov. 28 — To the Editor:

Of 193 to 198 countries world-wide, The United States is one of only seven countries allowing abortion on demand. The others: China, North Korea, Vietnam, the Netherlands, Singapore, Canada. (Fifty-nine countries have stringent qualifiers for late pregnancy; others don’t allow any abortions or have 12 week limits.) Forty-three of our 50 states have limits (six weeks/heartbeat to 22-24 weeks/viability).

It’s a scientific and medical fact that unborn babies can and do feel pain, beginning between the 18th-20th week. By 18 weeks, the nervous system is developed, and by the 20th week, all nerves and receptors are fully connected, except the ones that allow us to go unconscious when we can no longer bear the pain aren’t developed until the 28th week.

More: Here's why Shaheen and NH Democrats are focused on the threats to Roe v. Wade

The dismembering of mid-term babies is gruesome and barbaric, all done without any anesthesia for the baby. Try to imagine the excruciating, unrelenting pain. Could you withstand it? Why should the mostly-developed baby?

One argument has been, “It’s a woman’s body.” Not so. The unborn baby, from conception, has 46 chromosomes, 23 pairs, half from father and half from mother, giving this person her/his own unique DNA.

Live, feeling, unique/separate human beings have every right to live.

Bruce and Judy Young

York, Maine

Public health and medical workers should be respected, not rejected

Nov. 29 — To the Editor:

Public health science has been responsible for protecting the public from water borne diseases, contagious bacterial and viral infections and the harmful pollutants. From George Washington mandating his troops receive the smallpox vaccine then through the history of our nation, our public health initiatives have consistently improved the health and welfare of our citizens, contained communicable diseases and helped improve life expectancy.

The sudden demonization and contempt for our public health system and Tony Fauci, MD in applying the science fighting the COVID pandemic is jaw dropping.

Dr. Fieseher commentary: If you’re against mandates, you’re against vaccines

Paranoid dismissals, wild false accusations, denial of the data, legislating against efforts to contain the infection, disregard for personal contagious spread and contempt for the vaccination all undermine basic protection and collective resolve to eradicate COVID.

The scientific advances and speed of understanding the genetics of this novel virus, its vectors of contagion, and its disease process resulted from worldwide cooperation and collaboration of scientists and physicians. The development of new anti-viral medications and vaccine production has been a unprecedented.

Until we all respect the scientists and physicians at the frontline fighting for us, and attend to their recommendations, COVID will continue to smolder and ravage our population.

Ken Cohen

Kensington

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Kyle's Law in NH: Guns don't create violence, people do — Letters