Guns not easier to purchase than aspirin
I am disappointed by the quote made by Bishop Daniel E. Flores: “Don’t tell me that guns aren’t the problem, people are. I am sick of hearing it” (Catholic Virginian, May 30).
To be honest, I am sick of hearing that comment. There’s always a knee jerk reaction anytime there’s a mass shooting to initiate more gun control laws.
There is a saying among the Second Amendment crowd, “Guns don’t kill people. People kill people.” Extensive background checks are required in order to purchase a gun, so guns are not easier to obtain than aspirin. Please do your research before publishing false information.
As a Catholic Christian, I believe every law-abiding citizen has the right to be able to defend themselves and their property without undue interference from the government. A gun can sit on a shelf for 100 years and not kill anyone until someone picks it up and pulls the trigger. – Linda Browning-Kaloski, Chesapeake
Pro-life movement must help gun violence victims
Regarding the May 30 article of The Catholic Virginia regarding some U.S. bishops calling recent shootings the “most pressing life issue”:
This is a good thing that some bishops and the Church community are identifying this now, but it’s been a pressing life issue for decades. Similar to the right to privacy being morphed into the right to abortion on demand, the Second Amendment has been warped into access to guns on demand, regardless of one’s age, level of responsibility or mental health.
The right-to-life movement has been dedicated to the goal of eliminating abortion and providing alternatives to those considering abortion. With the possible Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the pro-life movement will have a potential victory, and increased responsibility to care for children being born into situations where the parent(s) may not want or are unable to take care of a child.
The pro-life movement needs to continue its zeal for the protection of victims of gun violence — in the school setting, in communities and in our nation as a whole. The mantra “thoughts and prayers” is an empty slogan of weakness against the gun lobby who peddles lies and weapons of death.
I hope the marches, legislative efforts and fundraisers do not disappear to combat the many forces of gun violence.
In James 2:17, it says, “So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” The pro-life movement still has work to do — to combat gun violence and weakened gun laws, and help those survivors left behind. – Brendan M. Mahoney, Richmond
Address all shootings
Re: Archbishop: Shootings ‘most pressing life issue’ (Catholic Virginian, May 30):
This article should have been about all shootings. Thousands of people are shot daily and hundreds die. Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters. It’s just not Uvalde or Sandy Hook or Columbine! It is a daily problem.
If he is going to talk about guns, then talk about all shootings. My brother was murdered in Chesapeake in 1994. Sawed off shotgun.
But we have a problem with taking guns away from law abiding citizens. It’s not these citizens killing. It’s the drug lords, gang members, crazies and young thugs who think they are “cool” with a gun. They don’t think about the repercussions if they maim or kill someone.
So we need to address all shootings, not just mass shootings. Every life is precious. – Georgiann Allen, Virginia Beach
Bishops should be true to their biblical mission
The front page of the May 30 edition of The Catholic Virginian highlighted two quotes.
The first was by Cardinal Blase Cupich: “The right to bear arms will never be more important than human life.” This statement, while true, is blatantly self-serving and diminishes the tragedy and horror of the crime.
The second was by Bishop Daniel E. Flores: “Don’t tell me that guns aren’t the problem, people are. I’m sick of hearing it.” The first sentence was correct, but he did not like it. Instead, he affirms that he has an emotionally, psychologically and socially crippled soul.
Blaming guns? This is the easy but wrong solution. It ignores the fact that guns can be, and often are, properly used for self-defense. Their hypocrisy is because clergy are surrounded by people willing to take the bullet harmful to their pastor.
We are living in a society that highly emphasizes personal rights and emotions, as it ignores and/or downplays social responsibilities.
Aggravating the situation is the political motif: Never let a serious tragedy pass without profiting from it. A permanent solution would be to help troubled people bring their “personal demons” under control.
Bishops’ vocations encompass people, sin and salvation. They should be true to their biblical mission, be wary of this perverse idea and steer clear of self-serving pronouncements. – Robert Mack, Hampton