Traverse City Record-Eagle

Opinion

January 2, 2013

Letters to the Editor: 1/2/2013

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We paid for benefits

The Republicans who voted for the right to work law are not old enough to know what it was like. Back in the '30s there was a right to work. I was just a kid, but I remember if you had a job with starvation wages and poor working conditions, that is what brought on the unions and the country started to get better. This new law may bring in more jobs, but at a lower wage and no benefits. The only people this benefits is the wealthy.

Everybody will be working more and paid less. The only thing it does is to try to break the unions. We paid our dues for these benefits. Why should somebody have a free ride?

Jerry R. Cervenka

Traverse City

Duplicity and arrogance

Well now we see how closely our self-described "nerd" governor learned the lessons of duplicity and arrogance. For two years Rick Snyder told all who would listen that right to work laws and restrictions on women's reproductive rights were not part of his agenda and he had no interest in seeing legislation about them on his desk to sign.

We as a state voted down making collective bargaining rights part of the state constitution and presto, the lame-duck Legislature rams through a right-to-work bill. The governor says, "why I of course would sign it." Within 48 hours there are slickly produced ads on television speaking of "the freedom to work," exactly the same phrase used by Snyder.

Next on the agenda, the move against a woman's right to control her own biology. The tyrants of the past must be very proud of Snyder and his henchmen.

Marlowe Bonner

Traverse City

Stand up to leadership

Many things that people enjoy require some control. Putting speed limits and traffic signs on roads did not result in the death of the automobile industry. We still drive and it's quite safe. I am a wine maker. I drink alcohol and promote the sale of wine, but I do appreciate the need for controls.

For the National Rifle Association to consider any regulation on guns to be a "chink in the armor" is absurd. I believe that the fastest way to lose all rights is to resist any attempt at logical compromise. I want to believe that the vast majority of NRA members are logical, thinking individuals who realize that there is absolutely zero need for anyone to own an assault weapon of any kind. I've been told that it's "fun to shoot such a gun." I've also been told that it's fun to drive a car 150 mph, but we don't allow it as it is dangerous for the driver and those around them.

The same should be the case for semi-automatic weapons. Stop the madness. Please, all thoughtful NRA members, stand up to your leadership and encourage the banning of all semi- automatic assault weapons.

Mark Johnson

Traverse City

Find the courage

I understand that hunting is an important and profitable part of the culture of northern Michigan. But I would hope that even those seasonal hunters would agree that private citizens should not legally own assault weapons. If a hunter requires a semi-automatic rifle that fires a 30-round clip in the blink of an eye, that person is not a skilled hunter.

It is 2012, well into a new century. We have grocery stores. This blood sport is anachronistic now. I always thought that the hunted should be equally armed, just to make it a level playing field. Assault weapons were designed to be used in war, not for a young private citizen to use to slaughter 20 first-graders. I hope this latest tragedy prompts our representatives in Washington to climb out of the pockets of the National Rifle Association and other pro-gun special interests and find the courage to do the right thing.

John Billette

Traverse City

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