Letters to the editor

Get rid of assault weaponsI fear that Chuck Muth has been listening to too much propaganda from the National Rifle Association. It is the policy of the NRA that any restrictions on gun ownership will lead to a ban on owning all weapons. This makes about as much sense as saying that making methamphetamines illegal will lead to making aspirin illegal. Get real, Chuck. Is there anything in the expression “assault weapon” that sticks out in your mind? What about the word “assault?” What are people going to do with assault weapons? Defend their homes? My brother, a former board member of the NRA, told me that if I wanted a weapon to defend my home to get a 12-gauge shotgun. Just point it in the general direction of the intruder and let it go. No more intruder. As a combat veteran of Vietnam, I know the potential of the M-16. The legal version of this weapon is the AR-15. The AR-15 is only semiautomatic, but all veterans will tell you that the M-16 was most effective when used on semiautomatic. You can certainly kill people with all weapons, but the assault weapon makes it possible to kill large numbers of people before help can arrive. How quickly we forget about the victims of the IHOP shooting. Celebrate and defend the Second Amendment. Keep your hunting rifles, target rifles, and shotguns, but get rid of assault weapons.Rion CauseyCarson CityCall to shorten political campaignsPolitical campaigns keep getting longer and longer. I remember seeing some news stories surmising who might run for president in 2016 the morning after Obama was re-elected, and some people have already been approached about it and have either been non-committal (that means they’re throwing their hat in the ring) or already said they don’t want to run. The last campaign went on for the better portion of two years, which makes me wonder how long we’ll have to endure the next one. Can we please call on our leaders to shorten up this process to not only save time and money but also to preserve our collective sanity? If you agree, please sign the petition located on the President’s website at http://wh.gov/U75l.Todd MylerCarson CityCancer research bill a milestoneEarlier today, President Obama signed into law the defense bill, which included the Recalcitrant Cancer Research Act.Formerly known as the Pancreatic Cancer Research and Education Act, this bill will require the National Cancer Institute to develop a plan, or scientific framework, for pancreatic cancer research.The passage of this bill into law represents an unprecedented milestone in the history of pancreatic cancer. For the first time, there is a law dedicated to putting a greater focus on pancreatic cancer and other similarly deadly cancers. This achievement would not have been possible without the incredible dedication and passion of so many Carson City and Minden residents.On behalf of the thousands who have lost the battle, and on behalf of the survivors (such as Stuart Jed, four-year survivor of Stage IV Pancreatic cancer), great thanks to each and every one of you for your dedication and support in helping to make this a reality. Every single time you made a phone call, sent an email, spoke to your congressman or senator or updated your Facebook status on this issue, you were an important part of making this day a reality.Congratulations on a job well done, and thank you so much for all of your support!Virginia JedPancreatic Cancer Action Network