Letter: Response to Quinn column on gun control
I found Terry Quinn’s column in the Vail Daily on April 5 interesting and would like to comment on several points. Quinn wrote: “Colorado already has universal background checks.” That is correct, but it is not full-proof and people slip through the cracks, such as the shooter in Boulder. Background checks help with the problem, but it is not enough.
Quinn wrote: “They (AR-15s) are good for taking out varmints, coyotes, wolves and bad people who are threatening me and mine.” Really, you need an AR15 to kill varmints, coyotes, and wolves?
Quinn wrote: “Colorado has a red flag law to get dangerous instruments out of the hands of those who are exhibiting unsettling behavior.” Again, that is true and I agree with you. Families, friends, and society in general absolutely have to be better in alerting the police for actions under the red flag law.
The bottom line is that these mass shootings occur over and over and over and the gun of choice has been the AR-15 or one comparable to it . It has been used in 12 such shootings such as Boulder, Las Vegas, Sandy Hook, and Orlando to name a few. It has been used in 26% of the last 80 mass shootings in our country. I’m sure Quinn will admit that there are far too many such shootings happening in our country. So my question to Quinn is, “What plan or course of action would you support to further help put an end to these atrocities?”
Obviously, background checks, red flag laws and other measures that have been enacted aren’t enough. Since the AR-15 is the common denominator in so many mass shootings, wouldn’t it be logical to get them off the streets?
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Jeanne Cunningham
Avon
