West Newsmagazine 3-7-18

4 I OPINION I
More on concealed
carry reciprocity
March 7, 2018
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
In this Issue
11
New Seat Belt Law
Motorists now can be
stopped in Town &
Country for failing to
use a seat belt.
To the Editor:
I read the letter by Mary Gross in the Feb.
14 issue of this magazine regarding Rep.
Ann Wagner not listening to her constituents.
I beg to differ. I think Rep. Wagner
does understand her constituents and voted
correctly on the issue of concealed carry
reciprocity.
Under current laws, we are making
criminals out of otherwise law-abiding
citizens by the mere fact that they crossed
a state line. Behind the wheel of a car, you
can go from upstanding citizen to criminal
instantly.
Are these citizens really a threat to your
safety? For that matter, are any citizens
who have a concealed carry permit a threat?
The reality is that gun deaths occur almost
exclusively in tight geographical areas that
contain criminal gangs. The threat to our
communities and law enforcement officers
is not from your neighbor with a CCW
permit. The number of crimes committed
by people who are issued CCW permits is
statistically almost zero.
No one likes waking up in the morning
to hear that another two people were shot
overnight. But fighting the NRA and attacking
our congresswoman for supporting
our constitutional rights is a misdirected
effort. Promoting responsible fatherhood,
good schools and creating a better environment
for job creation will do much more to
improve the safety of our communities and
law enforcement officers.
Anthony Hough
• • •
To the Editor:
What we now have is a patchwork of gun
laws that, while couched under the heading
of states rights, are designed more to
trap lawful citizens into criminality by its
costly maze of anti-gun, ergo anti-citizen
mythology.
Railroads must conform to the “gauge
of rail track” or trains would become useless.
We have only one currency for all
states, one interstate highway construction
regulation, one set of national standards
for radio and television broadcast. Even
auto tire sizes and gas tank filling ports are
standardized. The list goes on and on. Just
think of the mess we would have if it was
not so.
Thankfully, we kept aviation out of the
hands of state legislators.
The right of the people to keep and to bear
arms is unitized in the Second Amendment.
To bear arms [carry] has equal status as to
keep [own] firearms [same as to hold and
to practice religion, our religious freedom].
As far as the “well-regulated militia” is
concerned, every able-bodied citizen was
mobilized, trained and deployed to end a
worldwide war in less than four years. We,
the citizens, are what keep “the people’s”
rights, as citizens, alive. So, you would tell
us that ownership and use of automobiles
be subject to the individual approval of
each and every law enforcement officer?
The anti-gun philosophy being cast
about these days spits in the face of freedoms
owned by each and every law abiding
citizen. And in the latest Florida school
shooting, how did our informed FBI work
for those 17 slaughtered innocents there?
Where was the security officer at the time?
How many employees ran for their lives
leaving their “lambs” to be slaughtered?
This is from an 85-year-old veteran,
with a crime-free rap sheet and who knows
what it is like to be staring down the barrel
of a loaded gun in the hands of a desperate
family man.
Jim Johnston
Regarding “Looking forward in
Wildwood”
Want to express your opinion?
Submit your letter to: editor@newsmagazinenetwork.com • 636.591.0010
16
Park in Planning
Wildwood City Council
approves design phase for
Ward 5 park.
27
Summer Camps
Timely advice for parents
of future summer
campers.
To the Editor:
I have been a resident of Wildwood for
five years. I have attended many council
meetings at city hall. I am not a politician,
however it is my personal opinion
that the people who are responsible for the
direction of the city are very dysfunctional.
Ward councilmembers seem very protective
of their respective area, but not what is
good for the entire Wildwood community.
Our new mayor doesn’t want his time
wasted on those residents who attend the
council meetings if they are going to voice
concerns that have already been addressed
by other residents. So much for listening.
As for being a vibrant Town Center, I
have not seen the addition of new businesses
that make life in Wildwood more
convenient. I keep waiting on new businesses
to be developed that are useful and
serve the needs of our residents.
We, like most residents, travel to Ellisville,
Ballwin, Chesterfield and beyond to
make most of our purchases.
Is a community garden the best use of
prime real estate in the Town Center hub?
Here’s a suggestion, poll the younger
generation of Wildwood to find out where
they shop and gather socially with friends.
I’d bet it’s an eye opener and it’s not in
Wildwood.
Wildwood’s growth focus is on residential
construction, with no business support.
Will the money Wildwood receives from
the sales tax pool be sufficient to maintain
the comfort and convenience of this evergrowing
population?
I hope the residents of Wildwood feel
it’s time for change, and, in April, vote for
new leaders of our community that will
listen and then act upon our needs.
Jo Ann Kresko
Honoring those who served
To the Editor:
Regarding your article “Fifty years later:
The TET Offensive remembered,” for all
of the brothers in arms, thanks for remembering.
Joe McCarthy
Vietnam veteran
42
No Child Left Hungry
School districts seek balance
between well-fed
kids, unpaid lunch debt.
Founder
Publisher
General Manager
Managing Editor
Associate Editor
Features Editor
Proof Reader
Business Manager
Graphic Designer
Graphic Designer
Graphic Layout
Tech Advisor/ Website
Admin. Assistant
@WESTNEWSMAG
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM
Advertising Manager
Vicky Czapla
Writers
Doug Huber
Sharon Huber
Tim Weber
Kate Uptergrove
Ellen Lampe
Lisa Russell
Emily Redington
Erica Myers
Jessica Mattingly
Ryan Moore
Emily Rothermich
Brian Miller
Melissa Balcer
Advertising Account Executives
Nancy Anderson
Denise Candice
Ellen Hartbeck
Classified Advertising Sales
Chris Oth
Suzanne Corbett
Jim Erickson
Brian Flinchpaugh
754 Spirit 40 Park Dr.
Chesterfield, MO 63005
(636) 591-0010 ■ (636) 778-9785 Fax
westnewsmagazine.com
Please send
Comments, Letters and Press Releases to:
editor@newsmagazinenetwork.com
West Newsmagazine is published 35 times per year by
West Media Inc. It is direct-mailed to more than 68,000
households in West St. Louis County. Products and
services advertised are not necessarily endorsed by West
Newsmagazine and views expressed in editorial copy are
not necessarily those of West Newsmagazine. No part of
West Newsmagazine may be reproduced in any form without
prior written consent from West Newsmagazine. All letters
addressed to West Newsmagazine or its editor are assumed
to be intended for publication and are subject to editing
for content and length. West Newsmagazine reserves the
right to refuse any advertisement or editorial submission.
© Copyright 2018.
A PUBLICATION OF
Linda Joyce
Joe Ritter
Sheila Roberts
Bonnie Krueger
Warren Mayes
Jessica Meszaros