Editor,

As long as I've been at OU, and that's a long time, I've never been so amazed at the ignorance and stereotyping in any letter printed in The Post. I resent Amanda Sledz's implication that all gun owners are crazy psychopaths and that all cops are trigger happy maniacs in "Cramming it down," April 21. As both a gun owner and a military police officer in the Marine Corps, these stereotypes infuriate me. As many gun owners as there are in Athens, I can remember only one shooting in recent history, that in 1991. You'd think that with all the NRA freaks out there ready to kill, there would be more. As for the trigger happy cop, the way I was trained is that there are five levels of force before one can even present a firearm. Deadly force is used only as a last resort, when all lesser means have failed. I realize, however, that law enforcement officials are the great scapegoat of those who can't take responsibility for their actions. Finally, without the Second Amendment, the First would soon fall, as would the rest of the freedoms we take for granted, until our world resembles something out of 1984. As the saying goes, you can have my gun when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers. Sane, rational, legal gun owners are everywhere. We're the ones who don't make the headlines.

Edward Lowry White Jr.
ew119692@oak.cats.ohiou.edu

Irrational double standard

Editor,

Graduate Michael Deemer, in his turnstile "Allow a protest of politics," April 21, presented a challenge to those of us who are excited about Newt Gingrich coming to campus to speak. He asked us to "extend understanding and respect to those of us incensed by Gingrich's existence." We do and always have. All we ask is that you extend the same courtesy, and before you freely spout words like "homophobia," "xenophobia," "racism," "classism" and "sexism," you come hear what the man has to say and make your own judgments. I have had the pleasure of hearing Gingrich speak on many occasions, and I believe the strong words Mr. Deemer uses are not at all representative of Gingrich or what he has tried to do for our country.

Deemer claims Gingrich's message is not of "equal value," but he has the right to express it. If we are to be accepting to all ideas and groups in this country, as Mr. Deemer alludes to, how can someone like Gingrich's message not be of "equal value"? You might not agree with him, but that does not make his ideas any less valuable. Gingrich is one of the top political minds in this country today and has risen to the position of speaker of the House through hard work. One can at least respect that, even if you don't agree with his politics. I feel the same way about Hillary.

The turnstile is another example of the "double standard" placed on us, because we have different ideas for how to achieve the goal Gingrich, Democrats, Republicans, independents, Libertarians and Progressives can all agree on - a better life for everyone in this country. Please, if you are going to complain about something, apply the same standards to yourself and don't ask us for something you are not willing to give.

I would also like to point out that though, admittedly, the College Republicans were not happy about Hillary Clinton speaking at graduation last year, WE DID NOT PROTEST IT! The only time we have protested Clinton is when she was here campaigning for Democrats in the fall.

Maggie Mitchell, OU College Republicans president
mm783794@oak.cats.ohiou.edu