Many good people carry guns
Re: “NRA’s worst nightmare,” June 9 news story
Moms Demand Action is blowing hot air. Gun legislation, short of total and complete gun confiscation, won’t stop gun violence. To stop the gun/knife/bomb violence, you have to stop the people who think the solution to their problems is killing. Magazine bans don’t work, and universal background checks don’t work. Many recent shootings were committed using legal guns.
Restricting ammunition purchases is dumb. How do you expect gun owners to maintain proficiency if they can’t practice? If you’re going to start a movement, know the facts. Hundreds of thousands of concealed carry permits have been issued to Coloradans since 2003. Let any one of them get a DUI, or be arrested for a number of qualifying crimes, and that permit is gone.
If a concealed carry holder goes through training, shooting qualifications, an intense background check and is monitored by law enforcement, why do we have to go through additional background checks to buy additional weapons? In reality, we’re being checked daily. Every day concealed carry folks ride trains and buses with you. They go to the same stores, the same churches, hospitals, offices, restaurants and movie theaters, and they walk the same streets as you. Has a good guy with a gun engaged and stopped crimes? Yep. It isn’t guns. Let me repeat that. It isn’t guns. We have to figure out what happened to our society that made killing a solution. Blaming the NRA, which has trained millions of people in gun safety, is just piling on.
Kirk Jamison, Centennial
Colorado can lead way again in abortion fight
Re: “Colorado has no laws restricting access to abortion,” May 28 news story
Post reporter Anna Staver’s recent observation on abortion law in Colorado that “the state has no laws restricting access to abortion, but no laws guaranteeing it, either,” needs some context.
Colorado was the first state in the nation to legalize abortion in 1967, months before California and seven years before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1973 decriminalized it nationwide in Roe vs. Wade. Colorado’s 1967 law contained various restrictions that many people would find offensive today. For example, all abortions had to be done in hospitals, required the approval of two doctors, and parental consent for girls under 18.
But the law was a bipartisan effort led by Republican John Bermingham in the State Senate, freshman Democrat Dick Lamm in the House, and signed by Republican Gov. John Love. The proposed legislation was drafted for a third-year class at DU Law School by Susie Barnes, who later became a Denver District Court judge. Barnes got an A+ in the class, with a note from her professor stating something like “it wasn’t a requirement to get your draft legislation passed, but you did. Congratulations!”
If Roe vs. Wade were overturned now by the U.S. Supreme Court, Colorado’s law would still be on the books, except that about 10 years ago it was purged from Colorado’s Revised Statutes along with other obsolete laws. Whether it could or should be revived if Roe vs. Wade were reversed is an interesting question.
It might be better for Colorado to protect a woman’s right to choose, appropriate for today. We could eliminate Colorado’s Hyde Amendment, now embedded in the state constitution, which currently prohibits the use of state funds for reproductive choice for poor women. We should also eliminate the requirement that minors notify parents or go through a judicial bypass procedure for an abortion. Almost 50 years after abortion was decriminalized nationwide, most Coloradans believe only a woman, in consultation with her family and doctor, should make such intimate decisions. The government should not be involved!
We did it once. We can do it again. And may have to.
Cyndi Kahn, Denver
Hancock cheerleading not appreciated
Re: “Hancock overcomes challenges in elections and life,” June 9 commentary
Must we hear from Michael Hancock cheerleader Doug Friednash, yet another Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck lawyer about the mayor’s valiant charge to victory? The former city attorney’s so-called “column” is but a cheesy PR piece, waxing about the mayor celebrating “diversity and inclusivity,” while overlooking well-publicized personal conduct shortfalls, and issues such as ushering in anything pushed by developers. The result of eight years of this has been gentrification and displacement, over-density, scarce parking and transportation deficits. This re-election foretells the need to pass a law limiting future mayors to two terms.
Peter Ehrlich, Denver
Sanctioning Doug Friednash to moralize in sanctimonious text the attributes of Mayor Michael Hancock using — metaphorically — a 92-yard comeback by the Denver Broncos in an AFC championship game where Hancock was their mascot, and elevating him to savior status in overcoming numerous obstacles in his youth — is utterly insufferable, even by The Denver Post’s standards.
Although Hancock did win the election running against a political novice, one would not elevate this victory to a runaway. When you tabulate Jamie Giellis’ votes and those of the Denver voters too preoccupied to fill out a ballot, Hancock received less than 20 percent of the registered voters’ support. A win is a win, but how do you govern when you are opposed by indifference and an alternate social and political philosophy?
Friednash continues in his columns to put forth politics that benefit his lobbying firm, and former elected officials he has been employed by and currently supports.
A reader would surmise that The Denver Post could consider someone else with Friednash’s adeptness and intellectual capacity, however with an unbiased and unsentimental political independence.
Marc Silverglade, Denver
Our pocketbooks won’t be any better off
Re: “We fought for Coloradans’ pocketbooks this year,” June 9 commentary
Gov. Jared Polis’ commentary might have better been titled “We raided Colorado taxpayers’ pocketbooks this year.” The spending splurge by the governor and legislature this session guarantees higher taxes in the long term for Colorado taxpayers. Beyond that, higher costs to consumers (for example, electricity) will also be the legacy of this session.
Michael Stertz, Thornton
EVs aren’t just for the rich
Re: “We’re still paying for rich folks to buy a luxury second car,” June 9 commentary
I wish Jon Caldara would get his facts straight about electric vehicles. My husband and I recently purchased a “pre-owned” electric vehicle to replace his 16-year-old car. We were surprised by the number of choices that we had and how quickly improvements are coming to the batteries of these vehicles. We are retired and are not “rich folks,” as Caldara would like to call us.
When investigating purchasing our electric car, we learned about an app that tells us where it can be recharged any place in the United States if we are away from home. It is amazing how many places there are.
Caldara seems to lack knowledge about all the auto manufacturers that are going electric, including Ford, Nissan, Chevy, Fiat and BMW. Also, VW is retooling its Tennessee plant for them as well. Except for BMW, these auto manufacturers are not considered “high end.”
Caldara needs to get his head out of the 1950s and learn to live in today’s evolving world.
Andre Ransom, Denver
Clearing the air for farmers about CDC statistic
Re: “Gardner has abandoned Colorado farmers to suffer Trump’s trade war,” June 2 commentary
In Ian Silverii’s opinion piece on Sen. Cory Gardner, he repeats the false claim that farmers and ranchers have a suicide rate higher than military veterans. This is not true. The “factoid” comes from a 2016 Centers for Disease Control report that erroneously categorized “farmers and ranchers” with logging and fishing workers. In 2018, the CDC corrected the error, pointing out that the high suicide rate was for all workers in agriculture, logging and fishing. In fact, farmers and ranchers — those who own their farms and ranches — were categorized among management and leadership.
That doesn’t mean a farmer’s suicide isn’t appalling — it devastates a community.
If Silverii really wants to know what it’s like out here in agland, I’d be happy to show him around. Have him contact me, make the two-hour drive out, and I’ll introduce him to the people he seems to care so much about.
Jeff Rice, Sterling
Editor’s note: This column has been corrected with the statistic removed.
Thank you, CDOT
The Colorado ski season seems finally about to end. Or is it?
This is a hearty, thankful shoutout to CDOT for remarkable, road-clearing service through this long winter. Like many of the regular travelers to the mountains, their work allowed us to enjoy what really was an epic — if not ikon — season of skiing. For me, this year was a Winter Park season pass opportunity to drive over Berthoud Pass many times. The CDOT folks were out there constantly, clearing the way, making safe our travels.
Much thanks! Keep those snowplows sharp and get some rest!
Lyle Williamson, Denver
