U.S. House candidate Alex Law writes that a blanket ban on purchases by those on the "no-fly" list is not effective gun control.
To the Editor:
In reference to the recent letter, "Go with Norcross on 'no-fly' gun ban," from Francis Spence, a supporter of U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross, D-1st Dist., in the June 7 primary election:
The letter touted Norcross' support for federal legislation to prevent anybody on the FBI's No Fly List from purchasing guns. To me, "no-fly, no-buy," describes the belief that Americans on this list should be denied their constitutionally protected right to the Second Amendment.
As Norcross' opponent for the Democrats' First Dist. nomination, I strongly disagree with him.
I firmly believe that we need more robust gun control to prevent the tragedies that have become all too frequent in our country. To me, serious gun reform includes closing loopholes, instituting a national system of strict background checks and increased mental health treatment funding.
Strong gun policy should have grounding in a realistic expectation of results. To honestly say we will have better gun control by stripping rights from Americans on an untraced, unexplained list is, in my estimation, absolutely foolish.
What makes us who we are as Americans is the system of government we have that guarantees more freedoms than any people in the world have ever experienced. At the core of our system is due process; that the government cannot take away your explicit constitutional rights unless you commit a crime.
'No-fly, no-buy," while catchy, makes a mockery of our way of life. Democrats might disagree with the Second Amendment. But if we support Norcross' stance, who says that the next time an untraceable, unexplained list is made, it won't take away a right that we believe to be non-negotiable -- like the First Amendment? This is the kind of slippery slope Norcross failed to consider with his support of "no fly, no buy."
Ending gun violence is very important, but so is protecting civil liberties. Although I agree to the ends, I object to the means.
Alex Law
Candidate for U.S. Congress
First District
N.J. prison cost cutting a 'joke'
To the Editor:
This is in response to the Times' editorial, "Ancora (Psychiatric Hospital site) not the place for violent offenders," on May 6:
This editorial regarding last week's escape of Arthur Buckel, who was captured Monday, had a few small mistakes. (Buckel) was not a "patient," but was assigned to a satellite unit of Bayside State Prison at Ancora known as "full-min" (minimum security). Inmates housed there provide labor to perform jobs at the hospital.
However, the greater danger for the citizens of New Jersey is cost cutting done by the current state Department of Corrections administration. As a retired corrections officer with 25 years of experience, I was disheartened to see the changes made in my last five years on the job by Commissioner Gary Lanigan.
While Lanigan's DOE web page biography cites his experience in corrections, it is mainly in the field of finance that he has worked. He increased the number of inmates in full-minimum units, as well as sending them to privately run halfway houses. To call some of these facilities "houses" is a joke, since one of them in Trenton can house more than 600 inmates.
These moves cost less than to keep these inmates in regular prisons. While I believe there are ways to reduce the cost of running prisons, putting violent criminals in reduced-security camps is not the way to do so.
Robert J. Osle
Forked River
Where was Black Lives Matter?
To the Editor:
I read the recent South Jersey Times article " 'Peace in the streets' rally planned after Camden's 'horrific' month," concerning an April 30 rally that was to take place in response to a violent month of April in the city.
The article stated that more than 40 organizations, as well as city officials, planned to attend. But there was no mention of Black Lives Matter activists planning to take part.
Shouldn't these activists have led such a rally? Or, do they show up only when the police are doing their job to try to keep things under control?
Harry Walker
Pitman
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