To the Editor:
Re “One Confirmed Useless Amongst A number of Victims in Iowa College Capturing” (information article, Jan. 5):
It has occurred once more, this time in Perry, Iowa, and it’ll hold occurring till voters confront the politicians. With a majority of People saying they favor stricter gun legal guidelines reminiscent of common background checks, there isn’t any higher time than now, on this election yr, for voters to ask the candidates to help efforts to cut back gun violence in America.
Republicans, particularly just lately, are demanding sure or no solutions to vital questions. On the town halls and at rallies and caucuses, candidates must be confronted: Will you decide to particular steps to insure the security of our schoolchildren, sure or no?
There is no such thing as a higher time or place to demand sure or no solutions to questions on gun security than in Iowa within the subsequent two weeks.
David Simpson
Rindge, N.H.
To the Editor:
I’m distressed and angered about one other public college capturing — and there may be nonetheless no motion from state and native governments relating to defending our kids from these violent acts. As a public-school trainer and a dad or mum, I worry for my very own youngsters in addition to my college students.
We all know we have to hold weapons out of the arms of violent and mentally unstable individuals, however we additionally must hold people who find themselves violent out of our colleges. We’d like adjustments to our legal guidelines and insurance policies if we’re going to cease this epidemic of gun violence towards our kids.
Kathryn Famely
Falmouth, Mass.
To the Editor:
Re “In Nashville, Dad and mom Believed Time Had Come for Gun Limits” (entrance web page, Dec. 29):
The mother and father of Tennessee youngsters who had been current through the Covenant College mass capturing final March deserve all of the credit score on the earth for standing as much as be counted within the battle towards the insanity of the simple entry to firearms on this nation.
In some methods, combating for change in a particularly pink state like Tennessee is on the similar time tougher and irritating, but additionally extra invaluable.
When a Republican or a conservative particular person is persuaded that we have to strengthen common sense gun legal guidelines, eradicate the gun present loophole and ban the sale of high-speed computerized rifles, the accomplishment is larger. Most Democrats already favor such restrictions.
The tales of those mother and father’ encounters with Tennessee lawmakers, whereas inspiring, are additionally infuriating. It appears unfathomable {that a} legislator would sympathize in non-public with these mother and father who’re making an attempt to make the world safer for schoolchildren, but then vote towards any measure which may really accomplish that purpose.
For these mother and father and others pissed off and enraged by these gutless lawmakers, I can counsel one different tactic. Maybe solely the considered political defeat could be persuasive. It might appear unpalatable for a lifelong conservative Republican to vote for the Democratic candidate, but doing so as soon as over this life-or-death problem stands out as the solely strategy to alter the habits of obstinate politicians.
Marc Springer
Brookline, Mass.
Motivating Younger Folks to Vote for Biden
To the Editor:
Re “Younger Voters Have an Totally Completely different Idea of Politics,” by Michelle Cottle (Opinion, Jan. 3):
Ms. Cottle brings up the issue of President Biden’s lack of attraction to younger voters. Mr. Biden’s strongest go well with remains to be this: He’s not Donald Trump.
If younger voters care concerning the surroundings, all Democrats should do is characteristic Mr. Trump’s “I need to drill, drill, drill!” comment of their adverts, alongside together with his feedback ignoring local weather change.
Much more vital is Mr. Trump’s nominating for the Supreme Court docket conservative justices who’ve taken away girls’s rights over their very own our bodies.
If younger voters aren’t feeling motivated to vote by these points, they need to be.
Christine Graf
St. Paul, Minn.
To the Editor:
I completely agree with Michelle Cottle’s statement that Bernie Sanders was essential to Joe Biden’s help amongst younger individuals within the 2020 election. When you examine this yr’s major season with the 2020 one, this yr’s thus far could be very lackluster for the Democrats.
To present it the power of the 2020 major season, Mr. Biden must put Bernie Sanders — and Elizabeth Warren — on the street once more, particularly on faculty campuses. And they should speak about what they hope to perform in a second Biden administration, not nearly what has been achieved thus far.
These two will present the power and imaginative and prescient that younger individuals crave and can give them the motivation to point out up on the polls on Election Day.
To the Editor:
Re “In a Jewish-Arab College, an Oasis From Division however Not From Deep Fears” (information article, Jan. 1):
I used to be delighted to learn this story on the primary day of 2024. Day after day studying concerning the atrocities dedicated in Israel and the ensuing horrors occurring in Gaza has been so miserable. Studying 9-year-old Ben, a “non secular Jew,” say that his greatest buddy is Arab gave me a glimmer of hope for the long run.
Scott Bale
Stamford, Conn.
Immigration Judges Are Wanted. I Volunteer!
To the Editor:
Re “Migrant Surge Stretches U.S. Border Patrol Skinny” (entrance web page, Dec. 29):
I’m a just lately retired lawyer. Your description of the unmanageable burdens immigration is inserting on our assets jolted me to ponder an untapped however vital answer to the restricted variety of immigration judges wanted to course of the backlog of asylum instances (as distinguished from the extra advanced deportation proceedings).
There are literally thousands of prepared, prepared and ready retired legal professionals and judges all through our nation who could possibly be rapidly educated and certified domestically or on-line to course of asylum instances.
Many on this cohort already voluntarily serve our state and federal courts as appointed and volunteer legal professionals for many who can’t afford a lawyer. Many additionally function court-appointed court docket mediators with out compensation. I counsel that activating these assets would quickly cut back the large backlog of asylum instances.
I hereby volunteer if anybody on the Departments of Justice or Homeland Safety needs my assist.
Les Weinstein
Los Angeles
The author is a member of the California State Bar and a former U.S. Division of Justice trial lawyer.
The Inmates and the Cats
To the Editor:
I’m glad that “Cats Crammed This Chilean Jail. Then, the Inmates Fell in Love” ran on the entrance web page of the very first paper of 2024.
There’s no finish to dangerous information, and it was uplifting to examine applications that join prisoners with animals and particularly about Chillona, “a relaxed black cat that has change into the darling of a nine-man cell filled with bunk beds.”
Bonding with pets apparently results in a rise in empathy and a lower in recidivism. When the inmates in Santiago take care of the cats, the cats, in return, supply “love, affection and acceptance.”
Discuss a win-win.
Carol Weston
New York
