Letters to the editor March 27

Don’t punish law-abiding citizens for others’ crimes

It looks as if some states and public officials think gun registration, gun bans and magazine restrictions would stop school mass shootings and new laws are needed.

It doesn’t take much study to find that these school shootings were by people with serious mental problems. For some reason, these ill people are not identified and reported. Why not? Current law says these ill people can’t have guns.

Why do some of our public officials so quickly turn their sights on the law abiding citizen with restrictive gun laws? Maybe it is to look like they are doing something, I don’t know. I do know the law is on the side of the law abiding citizen. I know this because the US Constitution tells me, “the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”

Jerry Reynolds

Carson City

It’s time for Legislature to commit state to equal rights

The Nevada Legislature has a unique opportunity to impact our nation in a very visible and positive way: ratify the proposed Equal Rights Amendment to the US Constitution. That would show real leadership.

First proposed in 1848 and finally submitted to the states for ratification by the Congress in 1972, the proposed amendment reads, “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.”

How can any thoughtful person not agree with that concept? To not agree means you believe women should not have guaranteed equality of rights with men. Clearly, women are still not treated equally.

In 1975 the Nevada Assembly approved ratification, but the Senate did not; in 1977 the Senate approved it, but the Assembly didn’t. It is time for both bodies to show political courage and approve ratification.

Thirty-five states have ratified the amendment, and only three more must do so for adoption. Although the ten-year period for ratification originally proposed by Congress has expired, Supreme Court decisions and two legal analyses suggest that the deadline is not controlling.

Legislators, do the right thing: vote for the Equal Rights Amendment now.

Bo Statham

Gardnerville