Rucker61
12-23-2012, 08:10
Sent this in:
Mr. Tosches,
I’m writing, obviously and expectedly, in response to your editorial in this last Sunday’s Denver Post. I appreciate that emotions are running high after the tragedy in Newtown, and that you have words to write to get paid, and that the Denver Post has papers to sell. I do, however, find it entirely self-serving that you focus on military style semiautomatic rifles as the problem when in the very same edition there is an article on the lack of media focus on all of the other killings that take many, many more lives each year than an AR does. It would be surprising if I actually believed that you cared about a solution to the larger problem of gun violence, but not so surprising given the media mantra of “if it bleeds, it leads”. Check out the FBI violence statistics; they’re pretty easy to find. In 2011, according to Table 20 of the Crime in the US statistics, rifles, including hunting rifles, rimfire rifles and ARs, accounting for fewer deaths in this country than knive and other blades in every single state and territory in the table, and even hands, fists and feet were more lethal than all rifle types in 38 of 50 states and territories in this study.
Secondly, in the interest of accuracy, I’d like to point out a few factual errors in your piece. Terms like “testosterone-fueled” and “super-manly” represent your biased views on the subject. I’m not sure what it takes to be “super-manly” in your world, but in mine, it has nothing to do with which firearms or even any firearms that I own. It does include taking care of my family, holding to my word and protecting that which is important to me. In regards to the private ownership of cannons, many of the artillery pieces used in our Revolutionary War were indeed privately owned, and cannons can still be privates owned in the US. ARs are indeed used for hunting. In its most commonly available caliber, .223/5.56mm, an AR is a very popular firearm for hunting pests and varmints. In some of its other available calibers (over 50 are currently available) it can and is used for hunting big game. In that role, hunters are limited to the same 5 round capacity magazine as any other hunting rifle. Lastly, AR does not mean “assault rifle”; the abbreviation comes from “ARmalite”, the company that Eugene Stoner worked for when he invented the AR-15, and the AR-10, and several bolt action rifles that also used the AR designation.
There is no denying that Newtown, and Aurora, and other similar shootings were tragedies. The media and anti-gunners seem to be in denial regarding the efficacy of the current weapons ban proposals. In both of the incidents listed here by name the shooter was under failed mental health treatment. In both cases other firearms besides the ARs were available and/or used that would have not lessened the tragedies. Harris at Columbine used a firearm with the legally constrained 10 round magazines, and a shotgun. Mass shootings account for less than 1% of all the homicide deaths in this country, far less than the accidental deaths in swimming pools or from abusive parents/guardians. Let’s pareto the problem and actually work for real fixes, not superficial feel-good attempts. If you truly want to make this a safer country to live in, focus on mental health treatment, inner city violence, unfit parents and the meth drug problem. That’s where the vast majority of the violence and homicides in this country originate.
For the record, I do not currently own an AR, although I have in the past and may in the future. I used a gun safe to store my firearms. My children have taken hunter safety courses, as has my wife. I give you permission to print this letter, but only in its entirety. It will be published by myself in various online forums, so any partial printing by yourself or the Denver Post will be called out.
Regards,
Mr. Tosches,
I’m writing, obviously and expectedly, in response to your editorial in this last Sunday’s Denver Post. I appreciate that emotions are running high after the tragedy in Newtown, and that you have words to write to get paid, and that the Denver Post has papers to sell. I do, however, find it entirely self-serving that you focus on military style semiautomatic rifles as the problem when in the very same edition there is an article on the lack of media focus on all of the other killings that take many, many more lives each year than an AR does. It would be surprising if I actually believed that you cared about a solution to the larger problem of gun violence, but not so surprising given the media mantra of “if it bleeds, it leads”. Check out the FBI violence statistics; they’re pretty easy to find. In 2011, according to Table 20 of the Crime in the US statistics, rifles, including hunting rifles, rimfire rifles and ARs, accounting for fewer deaths in this country than knive and other blades in every single state and territory in the table, and even hands, fists and feet were more lethal than all rifle types in 38 of 50 states and territories in this study.
Secondly, in the interest of accuracy, I’d like to point out a few factual errors in your piece. Terms like “testosterone-fueled” and “super-manly” represent your biased views on the subject. I’m not sure what it takes to be “super-manly” in your world, but in mine, it has nothing to do with which firearms or even any firearms that I own. It does include taking care of my family, holding to my word and protecting that which is important to me. In regards to the private ownership of cannons, many of the artillery pieces used in our Revolutionary War were indeed privately owned, and cannons can still be privates owned in the US. ARs are indeed used for hunting. In its most commonly available caliber, .223/5.56mm, an AR is a very popular firearm for hunting pests and varmints. In some of its other available calibers (over 50 are currently available) it can and is used for hunting big game. In that role, hunters are limited to the same 5 round capacity magazine as any other hunting rifle. Lastly, AR does not mean “assault rifle”; the abbreviation comes from “ARmalite”, the company that Eugene Stoner worked for when he invented the AR-15, and the AR-10, and several bolt action rifles that also used the AR designation.
There is no denying that Newtown, and Aurora, and other similar shootings were tragedies. The media and anti-gunners seem to be in denial regarding the efficacy of the current weapons ban proposals. In both of the incidents listed here by name the shooter was under failed mental health treatment. In both cases other firearms besides the ARs were available and/or used that would have not lessened the tragedies. Harris at Columbine used a firearm with the legally constrained 10 round magazines, and a shotgun. Mass shootings account for less than 1% of all the homicide deaths in this country, far less than the accidental deaths in swimming pools or from abusive parents/guardians. Let’s pareto the problem and actually work for real fixes, not superficial feel-good attempts. If you truly want to make this a safer country to live in, focus on mental health treatment, inner city violence, unfit parents and the meth drug problem. That’s where the vast majority of the violence and homicides in this country originate.
For the record, I do not currently own an AR, although I have in the past and may in the future. I used a gun safe to store my firearms. My children have taken hunter safety courses, as has my wife. I give you permission to print this letter, but only in its entirety. It will be published by myself in various online forums, so any partial printing by yourself or the Denver Post will be called out.
Regards,