Weapons ban, animal shelter, housing and Richland drag show among Herald letters | Opinion

Court won’t allow weapons ban

Does the Democratic State Legislature and Gov. Jay Inslee not read the recent Supreme Court rulings on the Second Amendment? The recent Supreme Court ruling stated, “The constitutional right to bear arms in public for self-defense is not a ‘second-class’ right,” Justice Clarence Thomas wrote for the court’s majority (6-3). To justify any restrictions on gun possession, governments must show it’s “consistent with this nation’s historical tradition of firearms regulation.”

Banning semi-automatic guns in use for years; will be overturned. The Supreme Court has directed California, Maryland and other states to re-visit their “so-called” assault weapons bans. This attempt to restrict our inalienable rights will eventually lose in federal court. For a Democratic Legislature and a governor to intentionally violate the American Constitution demonstrates they have no regard for the law and are nothing more than base tyrants. It’s essentially what King George tried to do when his redcoats marched on Lexington. The enemy were out that eventful morning to secure the colonist’s weapons. What resulted was the “shot heard round the world,” the start of the Revolution and birth of America. Our great American system will continue to frustrate and check the tyrants. This time in federal court.

Robert Gates, Kennewick

Animal shelter has clean cat area

I would like to put in a positive comment on the Animal Control Shelter in Pasco. I recently lost my 7-month-old kitten and as a last resort went to the shelter to see if he had been turned in. He was vaccinated, micro chipped and neutered. He was not there, but I was impressed with the concern of the staff — both volunteers and employees. Also, the cat room was very clean and the animals had food and clean litter boxes.

I didn’t go into the dog area so I can’t comment on that part of the facility. It is a shame it is taking so long to get the new, much needed shelter built.

Kay Sparks, Pasco

Housing option was badly needed

Thank you, Catholic Charities, for the new housing for vulnerable adults! So needed in Tri-Cities! My daughter needed this 40 years ago! Unfortunately, she moved to Spokane where there are many options of group homes, and later passed away. So happy for the people who will get to live in a nice new place with help available!

Margaret Wilde, NAMI advocate, Kennewick

Drag shows no place for children

The Tri-City Herald Editorial Board recently wrote a dishonest editorial equating “Tootsie” with drag shows. Men dressing up as women have been a comedy farce since the time of Shakespeare but drag shows are explicitly sexual and are radically different in kind. Equating the two is dissembling at best and blatant lying at worst.

Drag shows insult the women I admire. No woman that I know dresses, talks, or acts like the drag queens that I have seen. But the real issue is why do people find it necessary to stage these performances for children? The only answer is that they want to “queer” our young (their term, not mine). But children need stable points of reference and destroying basic notions like male/female leads to anxiety, depression, and increasing “deaths of despair” among the young.

While threats and vandalism are not acceptable, putting on sexual performances for children shouldn’t be acceptable either. We don’t let parents bring their children to bars for a night of drinking. Burlesque, strip tease or drag shows should be similarly restricted to adults. The mental health of our children is hurting and they should not be sacrificed for the narcissistic ego gratification of the few.

Jeff Hylden, Kennewick