Letters to the Editors

Let's stop unregulated gun sales

Editor: I attend gun shows on a regular basis and I see lots of unregulated sales in counties that do not require background checks at their county gun shows, usually 20 to 25 percent of the tables are cash and carry with no background check required.

However, the recent show in Dade City was shocking as at least 60 percent of the sellers were offering cash-and-carry deals, and that doesn't even count the private sales going down in the aisles and outside the show. Quite obviously these buyers could be felons, wanted by law enforcement or even terrorists or their supporters.

When the Brady Law was passed some 10 years ago the NRA managed to include a provision whereby private citizens could sell their private collection at gun shows without being a federally licensed gun dealer. What has happened is people who are simply sellers of guns without a federal firearms license go from show to show selling their "private collections."

Federally licensed gun dealers at this show were selling guns, taking the money, having the buyer fill out the federal gun purchase form, calling the FDLE to obtain background check clearance for the sale and arranging for the buyer to pick up their new gun after the three-day business wait required by Florida law.

The licensed dealers I spoke to at this show were very aggravated by private sellers selling their private collections who undercut them on prices, collect no sales tax and sold with no questions asked. The licensed dealers think private sales are dangerous and give gun shows a bad name. No kidding! Those I questioned who were buying from licensed dealers said they didn't mind going through the background check or the three-day waiting period.

There is an easy solution that will not harm gun shows and will allow law-abiding citizens to buy all the guns they want. Citizens of Pasco County voted in 1998 by a vote of 69,171 to 25,916 that they wanted commissioners to write an ordinance requiring background checks on all sales at county gun shows.

In 1998, the commissioners discussed this issue in three separate meetings. The commission refused to pass an ordinance, however, they did indicate they would be willing to revisit this issue. It seems that in 1998 there had been no gun shows in Pasco County in recent memory and they saw no need. However, now we do and we had one of the worst I have ever seen in the entire state for unregulated sales.

I will request my commissioner to place this issue on the agenda. Homeland security starts with common sense and under prevailing circumstances an ordinance like this makes huge common sense. Counties like Hillsborough, Pinellas and Hernando have already closed this dangerous loophole, however, if you can't pass a background check you can come to Pasco and buy all the guns you want no questions asked. It's time for our county commissioners to act.
-- Arthur C. Hayhoe, Executive Director
Florida Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, Inc.
Wesley Chapel

Don't disturb America's dead for political gain

Editor: Ginny Brown-Waite's proposal to bring home from France our war dead is very bad. It is nothing but political opportunism, thinly disguised by the American flag in which she has wrapped herself. No matter what she thinks of France, it has nothing to do with our war dead.

Those dead are already in "patriotic soil," to use her term. To move them for political gain is disgraceful.

Clearly, Brown-Waite didn't give her proposal any serious thought.
-- Bill Donofrio, Spring Hill

U.S. reaction to French position is ridiculous

Editor: The knee-jerk reaction to everything French is about what we could expect from the people who are responsible. Now U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, R-Brooksville, has jumped on the bandwagon by her sponsorship of a bill to bring home all the U.S. soldiers buried in France.

Our deficit is apparently not high enough. Does she realize the cost of such a stupid bill? Why doesn't she sponsor a bill to eliminate the French Quarter in New Orleans? Why not return the Statue of Liberty to France, or rename all the French-sounding names of cities, towns, streets, schools, etc., etc.?

Stupid.

Don't blame the French for objecting to war. They have had a good taste of war and it was bitter. I don't want war, either. That doesn't mean I'm for Saddam Hussein. I do support our troops. They should be brought home and I said so while demonstrating for NO WAR last weekend. I received much encouragement, some derogatory remarks and a few one-finger salutes. I just don't understand a thumbs-down reaction to a message of NO WAR and Support Our Troops -- Bring Them Home.

One person asked about the terrorists of 9/11. To answer that question, I would say there were no Iraqis involved in 9/11. They were Saudis.

It seems many of those who are clamoring for war, are unwilling to enlist, have not been through a war or lost loved ones in war. My husband served in the South Pacific during World War II. I have family members in Kuwait right now and I want them home where they belong. Give the inspectors all the time they need and have more inspectors, if necessary. War is not the answer.
-- Carolynne Paul, Brooksville

It's hard to find acreage for new elementary school

Re: Why not place new public schools where the students are?, March 14 letter.

Editor: A letter writer raised an interesting question, "Why not build new schools where the students are?" I have what I believe to be an equally interesting answer. That is exactly what we try to do.

The writer lives, I believe, in the Timber Oaks community. There are few, if any, elementary age children living in Timber Oaks. However, the area surrounding Timber Oaks is home for thousands of school age children. In fact, there are more than 2,400 elementary age children living within about a 2-mile radius of the writer's home. About 30 years ago, almost all of west Pasco was home to retirees. There were relatively few young families. But the same type of home that was attractive to the retirees was also attractive to young families.

Over the years the number of school age children living within west Pasco has steadily increased as young families move into homes that once were occupied by retirees. This growth by the resale of existing homes creates especially difficult conditions when it comes to finding a 12- to 15-acre tract of land for a new elementary school. There just aren't many large parcels of land left. It has all been developed into commercial, retail or residential uses. I appreciate the writer's concerns for the location of new schools. I also hope he understands that no one takes this task more seriously than I.
-- Michael B. Rapp, Director of Planning
District School Board of Pasco County

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