Letters to the editor for Thursday, Oct. 7, 2015

We can do better to avoid mass shootings

I am 25 years old. I’m part of the generation that hears all about the flaws of my generation. We’re all about “instant gratification, technology, and unwarranted privilege,” blah, blah, blah.

Regardless if those stigmas are warranted, I think they overshadow something that has really defined my generation: the commonality of mass shootings. Since 1982, there have been more than 70 mass shootings in the United States. We Millennials will Tweet and Facebook our obliged condolences, and in a couple days the tragedy will be just another growing statistic. But no change. This country is allowing shootings to mock the child that touches the hot stove, but doesn’t learn to not touch it again.

Perhaps, it’s too late for my generation to not be scarred from these shootings, but its not too late to avoid freshly wounding the new generation. I don’t want future children to think that movie theaters, schools and malls can be both a place they belong and a place where terrible things can and still happen.

It would not be a farfetched guess that I am anti-gun. I believe in gun control. I believe that times have changed since 1776. I believe it’s wrong to sell guns in the classified-ads. But what I believe in most, is that my generation and all Americans deserve much more than to be defined in history books as the Americans that were too stubborn and too divided to do something about limiting these shootings. Basically, I believe we can do better.

Tatum Boehnke

Carson City

Stop funding Planned Parenthood

I am a resident of Nevada and a hunter. I pay for my license and tags and I am allowed to hunt within the state laws. I have harvested moose, elk, deer, caribou, geese, ducks, quail, dove, rabbits and fish during my life. I have done this in many states and Canada. I eat what I harvest. However, if I to try to sell any of the parts or meat from my harvests, I can be subject to pay fines, spend jail time and lose all my hunting privileges.

I am confused. Why is it illegal for me to sell parts of these animals and it is OK for Planned Parenthood to sell parts of human babies? The liberal left Democrats want to take away my guns and hunting rights. They do think, however, it is OK to harvest and sell human baby parts. Are animal rights more important than human rights?

I’ve seen the disturbing videos of Planned Parenthood talking about how its works to save certain human baby parts. I’ve seen it negotiate the price of these parts. If the Department of Wildlife had video of me doing this with animal parts, I would be prosecuted.

I am sickened by the Democrats’ liberal hypocrisy. Funding Planned Parenthood with tax dollars needs to stop. People in Planned Parenthood need to be prosecuted for selling human baby parts, just as I would be prosecuted for selling animal parts.

Dennis Castner

Mound House