European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 30, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                              Page 10 the stars and stripes l--Lu-t1bsammkamm&imabagaibimibimbaimimmx writers defend the right to Bear arms As a Rod and gun club member and a gun owner stationed in Europe i feel compelled to express my feelings concerning matters which pertain to the right of americans to keep and Bear arms. Based on the tone and Content of recent articles in the stars and stripes 1 feel that your newspaper pre sents a biased and unfair View of gun owners and their guns. You could rectify this unfair situation by printing More articles or editorials which present a positive View of gun ownership. Some ideas for locally based articles could Deal with the fostering of Good German american relationships which arc evident at your local Rod and gun club or you could do an article on trap or skeet shooting where you show men and women German and american engaged in Friendly Competition. But please in the future take into consideration the feelings of the Sensi ble lawful gun owners among your readers who take offence at the constant barrage of anti gun articles in your paper. Dennis l. Hints Offenbach West Germany the article firearms in America which came from the new York times a paper noted for using its first amendment rights to try to deny the Public s second amendment rights presents Many views of chief Mcnamara of the san Jose Calif police department. Most of the facts chief Mcnamara gives come straight from the propagandists at handgun control inc. According to Fri statistics there arc about 200 Mil lion firearms in private ownership in the United slates. Of that number 60 million to 65 million arc handguns. In any Given year Over 99.8 percent of All . Firearms and 99.6 percent of All . Handguns will not be involved in any criminal activity. In recent years the number of murders involving firearms has been in the area of 8,500 per year. Also however each year some 650,000 americans use a firearm to prevent or Stop a rape robbery assault or attempted murder. That is a ratio of 76.5 to 1. The subject of semiautomatic rifles and military look alikes lumped together by the press As assault rifles is prominent in the news these Days. The Crimi Nal use of weapons of this Type though much exaggerated by the press is really a tempest in a Tea pot. Rifles of All types arc used in Only 4 percent of All  arrests the semiautomatic military look alikes constitute Only 2 percent to 3 percent of weapons seized by police. Remembering that they had to fight for their Freedom the framers of our Constitution took special pains to ensure that All americans would have the Means to defend that Freedom both collectively and individually. That is Why they placed the people right to keep and Bear arms second Only to the right of Freedom of speech. I sincerely Hope that someone reminds chief Mcna Mara and All those so eager to trample on the constitutional rights of the people that those rights All of them were earned and paid for with sweat and blood. Americans fought to Gam them and there Are a Bunch ready to stand up to keep them. Maj. Walter f. Hern Ball Kesslr Turkey while i realize that the current political bandwagon in the United states concerns the subject of Banning every Type of gun manufactured i believe it irresponsible of the stars and stripes to print this article. The article was t just one sided it was slanderous to any legitimate firearm owner. The barrage of propaganda in the american press Over the Banning of firearms is bad enough without me As a military citizen having to pick up the Only american newspaper in Europe Only to see More of this one sided anti gun propaganda. I support the rights of citizens to choose not to own firearms As much As i do their rights to own them. The key being the word  what America needs concerning this heated debate Over guns is More com Mon sense not More Laws restricting our rights even  a member and supporter of the National Rifle association i have to admit that they sometimes go overboard but with articles like this one abounding in the press one can hardly blame them. Chris e. Stafford Ramstein a West Germany the tear jerking sensationalism by this writer to support his obvious views on gun control arc almost sickening. I m glad we live in a country where this writer can express his views but i believe the stars and stripes owes its readers the other viewpoint As , i am an avid believer in our Constitution and my rights under the second amendment. 1 believe All this hype on gun control is so far off the Mark of where the problem is that it hardly deserves to be discussed. The real problem lies in control and proper punish ment of criminal acts. Regardless of my views however i believe a Good companion feature such As the one by retired sen. . Richardson in the june edition of guns & ammo mag Azine pages 32 & 33 would allow your readers to at least hear both sides and there arc two sides to this  withheld we Brocken a West Germany i wish to voice my disgust at the recent two cartoons of tank Macnamara that depict owners of firearms especially assault rifles As mindless maniacs. These cartoons Are clearly part of a mass Media Blitz against gun owners and members of the National Rifle association. Rather than encourage an intelligent debate 90 the Issue of weapon ownership the Liberal dominated Media to include time Magazine and others have lowered themselves to the time honoured tactic of the big lie that is Tell a big enough lie and people will believe it. Coupled with this tactic they have resorted to the use of ridicule in their portrayal of owners of any weapon but especially those who own military style rifles or assault rifles. As a shooter and gun collector i am appalled at the actions of misguided politicians who seek to ban ownership of not Only so called assault rifles but any semiautomatic rifles As Well. They Overlook the fact that millions of Loyal patriotic Law abiding americans own such weapons and use them for Hunting target shoot ing self defense or just for the pleasure of owning a part of  a Small fraction of such weapons Are used in the commission of any crime. The recent irresponsible and flagrantly unconstitutional action of the California state legislature and the proposed actions of Bannin such weapons now pending in Congress is the most serious assault on the civil liberation of americans in recent  gun control acts of 1934 and 1968 and other gun control Laws could fill a Library and they have done Little or nothing to Stop hardened criminals from obtaining such weapons. All they serve to do is to infringe upon the second amendment rights of honest citizens. No one can deny that there should be some for of control. A two to three week waiting period for Purchase of a weapon to allow a police background Check is reasonable. Even More reasonable would be mandatory classes in firearm safety and the Legal ramifications of owning a firearm and strict enforcement of the Laws already on the . William a. Mecum Frankfurt West Germany readers express views on Oliver North so it. Col. Oliver North is guilty and now he s going to pay. It has never Beena question of what la. Col. North did. It has always been a question of Why he did it now hell pay for doing what he perceived As his duty and the directions of his superiors. In addition to possibly losing his retire ment benefits North faces up to 10 years in prison and $750,000 in fines. For what he tried to keep the contras alive while an american Congress vacillated on the Issue of peace in Central America. The real blame for North s activities rests with the self serving politicians in Congress. Rather than stand fast on the principles of Freedom Congress bowed to the strident voices of the Liberal few. Why docs Congress always seem to place self interest and partisan politics before the ideals that made this country Don t misunderstand melt. Col. North did wrong. He circumvented the Normal checks and balances of our constitutional government. But now the question changes from one of his guilt or innocence to one of determining the appropriate punishment. It. Col. Olive North is a first offender. He has already been fired forced to retire and disgrace publicly. He has suffered enough. Carl j. Arseneault Lel Helm West Germany it. Col. Oliver North is not guilty of any charges. All the evidence was not introduced to the court much less to the jury. He should have been found inno cent on All counts. He is not the Only one guilty. Other High ranking individuals arc just As guilty. How can or. Reagan and president Bush state Over and Over again they did t know anything about the Iran Contra affair the prosecutor John kicker stated it. Col. Oliver North took the Law into his own hands. Or. Pc scr where were presi Dent Reagan and vice president Bush now our president ? what were they doing it. Col. Oliver North was right in pals i am 39 years old my interests Are soul music religion mooting people and right now witching Oprah Winfrey. Carole edwards152 the Heights Northolt. Middlese�-4bt England my hobbies Are writing dancing Reading and going to Church. Miss Emma p. Oulm15-Easl cps Avenue tammaran oly Uoo Philippines i would like my name to be published m your newspaper. I am 20 years  Elna Nas 60axmvt eoe a my a lot Santos Sampalol metro manna Philippines i am interested in making pen friends abroad. Aurora Maputo Duern Avista Jay Rose stored Yawn Negros Oriental Philippines i would like my name to be published in your daily Papor Lor correspondence t am 20 years old. And my hobbies Are dancing cooking playing netball. Running and writing. Is. Yenisa Lewis of wanon . St. Catherine Jamaica. Wast indies i would like to have pen friends. My hobbies Are swim Ming hiking and making  Mabel is. Slaton Negros Oriental. Philippines please place my name in your pen pal Section. My Hoo Bies Are cooking Reading and swimming. Karen 8. Torres3-12111 St. Capitol subdivision a Cokol City. Philippines under their noses at All times working for them. They arc guilty. They knew All along what was going on. I am angry at the american people. How can they be so Blind As to find la. Col. Oliver North guilty of any charges. I just cannot Sec in. Preside no Bush should be impeached. Rosa Mercado Torrejon a Spain the front Page article Aboul the jury in the North trial reported the jurors were selected because they knew nothing Aboul inc Iran Contra Case and had not watched on television or read about North s congressional testimony two Summers ago it s a sad commentary on our judicial system that ignorance was the primary qualification for jury duty in one of the More important trials of the decade. It. Col. Jon Mclean stut Bart Valchin run West Germany a court of Law has now convicted Oliver North. It seems appropriate for those of us who still Wear the uniform to reflect on North s activities and behaviour and come to some conclusions. We can judge North s activities on basically two Levels first As they relate to inc Law and second As they relate to the american National interest. On both counts they arc worthy of Condo Man lion. With respect to the Law North is now a convicted Felon. More to the Point he grossly exceeded his authority and openly flouted the Law. North s position on inc in gaily of his actions changed very obviously when he moved from the con Gressional hearings to the courtroom. During inc hearings he and his lawyer openly Laun cd Congress and sneered at its responsibility for oversight. North s testimony was an assault on the legitimacy of congressional authority. Now i have no great love for con Gress. But i can vote my congressman into office and i can vote him out again. Congressional authority just like the presidential authority is Only legitimized by the will of the Clec Torale As expressed in elections. I did not vote for or against some obscure Marine lieutenant colonel in a staff element that has Only appointed officials no elected ones. The concept of legitimate authority and the sovereignty of the people As expressed in the first sentence of the Constitution is the Bedrock of our free  North came before the court the tone of his testimony changed. Calmly and without belligerency he spoke of believing Hal everything he had done including by his own admission illegal acts had been authorized by the presi Dent. I Don l recall him Saemg  in any Case in seems Clear he Felt he was acting As Dirac cd by his superiors. My question is How can a Man reach the Grade of 0-5 and not understand that he is bound to refuse to carry out an illegal order. In sum North is a zealot not a Patriot his fanaticism and disrespect for duly constr Fulcd authority led him to excesses which damaged not furthered the inter cols of the us cd slates. As a commissioned officer i find his behaviour a personal insult to inc integrity of my corps. To those who remain unconvinced i suggest you Lake a closer look a conditions in those societies that opt insist on the Rule of Law and consider whether you would t be More Comfort Able living there.1st it. Andrew j. Lorentz Schwab sch ground West Germany