Banning semi-automatic weapons would not reduce mass shootings in the U.S.

Automatic weapons

In response to the letter about gun rights (Sunday 3/28), automatic weapons have in fact been “banned” in the U.S. for decades. They may be acquired by “the public” only under extraordinarily difficult conditions, including obtaining a Federal permit, which entails a detailed evaluation process.

None of the recent horrible shootings involved a legitimate automatic weapon. “AR,” as in “AR-15,” does not stand for “automatic rifle.” That gun is a semi-automatic, of which probably over 200 million of various kinds, long and short, plain and scary-looking, are owned by responsible U.S. citizens. It is also not an “assault rifle” like a Sturmgewehr 44 from World War II.

How could legal semi-automatics be “banned” in any practical manner? How would that have stopped the recent shootings, carried out not by the guns on their own, but by mentally unstable or evil people? Unfortunately, it’s misinformed and misdirected rants that make it so difficult for people from all sides of the issue to have an intelligent discussion about “gun control” and to come to an agreement that would actually work to reduce mass shootings in the U.S., if that’s at all possible.

Dr. Allen L. Pinkus, Bluffton

Bluffton recreation

Thank you for the article on the Bluffton Rec Center expansion, but I hope you’ll follow it up with these questions: Pickleball is the fastest growing sport, period, for all age groups and especially adults. Hilton Head Island has public courts at Adrianna Lane, Chaplin Community Park, and the Island Rec Center that I commute to; but I live in Bluffton, so I get to add to the morning traffic congestion as much as I can stand. But Bluffton has zero public courts! They (Pickleball courts) exist in almost every private community, and I’ve complained for years to recreation officials that we need public courts.

I go by the two public tennis courts on Ulmer Rd. occasionally, and those courts seem underutilized, but we’re going to add 16 new tennis courts! I’m afraid our county recreation officials are as out of touch with the public as our council members.

Louis Poindexter, Bluffton

Hate as a crime

Wednesday’s headlines in the Island Packet signaled to me the dangerous directions our left-leaning government, including the judicial branch, is taking us.

For example, the headline “FBI investigates allegations of racial bias at shrimp dock” struck a nerve in me. I never believed a racial bias could be a crime as it is impossible, even by psychiatrists, to accurately measure the extent of that bias. It is certainly deplorable, but never a crime.

My opinion is that our left-leaning government has always believed attending to our emotional concerns is of primary importance because it wins votes — emphasizing compassion brings victory. Unfortunately, they have less concern about protecting the constitutional rights of every citizen.

What is your opinion?

Charles Mirucki, Hilton Head

Two policies

We now have data to compare two U.S. government policies of $1.9 trillion.

In 2017, Trump pushed the Tax Cut and Jobs Act, which cut taxes and was supposed to create jobs. It resulted in massive tax breaks for wealthy stockholders, but no new jobs. And that was before the pandemic. Much of the money went to corporations, which bought back stock instead of adding jobs. It’s estimated that 40% of those equities are foreign owned.

In 2021, Biden enacted the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Act, that increases unemployment benefits for those workers still sidelined by the pandemic. It gives significant money to state, county and local governments whose budgets were decimated by the pandemic to help them continue providing civic services. Also, significant help goes to small businesses, which encompasses a lot of those in the Lowcountry. In fact, Beaufort County is scheduled for $37 million, S.C. $998,561,375. This money is in addition to that for individuals, families and children.

So, a tale of two policies: One benefits corporations, the 1% and wealthy foreigners; the other benefits the American middle class and lower, as well as assisting governments and small businesses decimated by the year-long pandemic.

John MacLaurin, Hilton Head