Gun control

Responses to "A Militia of One," @issue, June 29

'People' have the right

The Second Amendment clearly asserts that each state is "free" and able to maintain a militia to remain free. This is unlike many other countries, where local militias are nonexistent. This is one of the unique qualities of the United States. If a foreign power were to invade America, they would have to overrun the militia of each state and each state would in turn have to surrender before the central government is forced to capitulate to such an invading power. The American Civil War is a clear example of how this works as each state of the former Confederacy was required to pledge allegiance to the federal government prior to being readmitted to the Union. It goes without saying that for a militia to be effective, it would necessarily need to possess arms. So why would the amendment go on to say that the people have the right to bear arms? That would be merely stating an obvious redundancy, since a militia is in the business of carrying out military functions, which includes the use of arms. The key to the second part of the amendment is that the "people" have the right to bear arms. By using the word "people," the amendment is stating that it is a right to be enjoyed by all Americans in an inclusive sense.

JUD WILLIAMS

Cumming

A host of gray areas

The recent Supreme Court ruling on the D.C. gun control law, if read carefully, should cut both ways. On the one hand, it clearly states (rightly or wrongly) that individuals have the right to have guns. On the other, it underlined that gun ownership is conferred within the context of a "well regulated Militia."

While the debate will probably continue concerning what sort of regulations are excessive and infringe upon the right to own guns, what is "well regulated?" If the right is not "well regulated," then would the right be forfeited?

Can individuals sue states that do not have adequate regulations? Could the Supreme Court find that until such time as the militia in a particular state is "well regulated," individual ownership may not be allowed?

GREGORY FARINO

Marietta

Whose Constitution?

Oh those activist judges, there they go again, ignoring essential passages of our Constitution for political expediency. In the ruling on the Second Amendment, the conservative wing of the court (Scalia, et al.) has chosen to ignore the opening words of the amendment "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State."

How in the world does the right of an individual to possess a handgun (not a rifle) contribute to the security of a free state in a well-regulated Militia? This same group of activist judges has issued court opinions withholding the rights of "the people" —- the writ of habeas corpus (Article 1 of the Constitution) and opinions upholding the government's search without a warrant and probable cause (Fourth Amendment).

I agree with those who say we should get rid of "activist" judges and follow the Constitution as written. Only I seem to disagree with them on just what the Constitution says.

CHRISTOPHER SEELY

Roswell

MARTA

Get off high horse and ride MARTA

Recently, I was involved in an event at the Alliance Theatre in Midtown that required me to go from the Chamblee area, where I live, to and from the Arts Center complex for five days in a row.

Here is what I experienced: Parking at the Chamblee Station was free, plentiful and easy to find; the trains arrived within 10 minutes on each of the 10 trips I took; doorstep to doorstep, the trip took about the same amount of time it would have taken had I driven with no traffic (a rare experience in Atlanta), and I was dropped off directly in front of the Arts Center; I read the newspaper while someone else drove.

A couple of weeks ago, I read a negative article about MARTA from a person who complained about mechanical problems, heat on the trains and more. In addition, I have many friends who complain about MARTA who rarely ride the trains or buses. The conversations always seem to have an undercurrent of elitism.

To all those chronic complainers, I ask this: Do you ever get stuck in traffic in Atlanta? Has your car ever broken down? Has the air conditioner in your car ever malfunctioned? Are you concerned about the environment? Could you afford to lose a few pounds?

Then try mass transit occasionally. The trains and buses are not just for poor people. They are for all of us. That is why it is called public transportation. You can take one look at the daily traffic reports, the air that we can see, and the waistlines of most Americans and see that what we are doing isn't working.

DALE DUNCAN

Chamblee

MARTA police need to patrol more

I travel on MARTA a few times a month back and forth from the Sandy Springs station to the airport. I have never seen the MARTA police on the trains. Why?

I have yet to get on a train and not be harassed, be made to feel very uncomfortable, or threatened. People are selling things or asking for money. If you don't give/pay attention to them, they are rude and curse.

Many people do not follow the rules in regard to no music without earphones. That sign is a joke. If I ask the offender to please turn it down, they have become irate.

So again, where are the MARTA police? I do not feel I should have to be made to feel this way, and want to know why the MARTA police are not on the trains. Once the Olympics left, so did the police.

JOHN TRISCH

Sandy Springs

Gwinnett doesn't need Atlanta's ills

The primary election ballot on July 15 will ask Gwinnett voters whether they'd approve a new tax to support extending the MARTA system into Gwinnett. All the official propaganda and lies are aimed at swaying public opinion to favor the proposal. Atlanta and MARTA need money desperately, and they'll tell you any lie to get it.

Everyone with a brain knows what will happen if MARTA moves into Gwinnett County.

The very same thing happened when MARTA was extended into the upscale Buckhead area and Dunwoody/Perimeter Mall. All that MARTA extension did was provide criminals from downtown Atlanta quick, easy access to new places to commit their crimes.

That's all Gwinnett County needs —- to bring downtown criminals into our community.

GORDON CURTIS

Atlanta

Busy lives may derail English classes

Am I the only one who found irony in Ann Marie Dabrowski building her column ("We can unite if we speak one language," @issue, July 1) about the need to speak a common language around a Latin phrase, "E Pluribus Unum?"

I agree that people who want to live in the U.S. should eventually learn English, for their own good and the common good; but knowing how much time my two jobs leave me to learn a second language, I can understand why, especially if they have families to support in the current economy, learning English might have to take a back seat to paying rent and putting food on the table for new arrivals.

No reflection on Dabrowski, but as a rule I've noticed the Americans most insistent on immigrants and foreign visitors speaking English take the same attitude when visiting other countries: "I've got money. You'll speak my language."

These people, many of whom can't speak a word of a language other than English, dismiss as "ignorant furriners" those for whom English is a second or third language but who speak it less than perfectly —- even in their own countries.

STEVE WARREN

Atlanta

Despite trials, hope for Clayton

I have always dreamed of owning a home. Now that my dream has almost come true, I need to re-evaluate the choice I made 25 years ago.

What is my reward for working hard and making my house payments on time? Is my reward a neighborhood where stealing is commonplace, where I live in fear of my house being robbed again?

Is my reward getting to pay higher taxes for property that's not worth the county's assessed value? Is my reward having all of my neighbors move away because of a dysfunctional school board and a bad economy?

Is my reward learning that three dogs were chained up in a vacant house two doors down to breed more pitbulls? I am not unhappy with my choice of where to live. I still have hope for Clayton County.

PATSY GIVENS

Jonesboro

Approach water woes nationally

Water is plainly a national challenge affecting not only our particular trials. The Midwest and the Mississippi basin and tributaries currently provide only too-familiar evidence of the most destructive flooding imaginable.

Modern engineering systems and the intelligent political use of federal funding should be applied to the balanced distribution of water for all regions of the country.

Rainfall of course continues where it will, in natural defiance of any human effort to control its patterns. In our particular regional case, the benefits from tapping the abundant Tennessee River at a point within scarcely more than a mile at Georgia's northwest corner could represent the beginning of a nationwide approach to fair and urgently needed redistribution of water wherever required.

WARD PAFFORD

Decatur