SigAlerts, Amber Alerts and Uzi Alerts

After reading “Road Shooting Probe Intensifies” (May 3), I know just the solution for what’s ailing us. California should adopt Florida’s recently enacted “stand your ground” law allowing anyone to whip out a firearm and start shooting if they feel threatened, at any time. Just ask the National Rifle Assn.: Well-armed citizens in cars will keep those bad guys from trying anything! Hey, while we’re at it, let’s make sure all our schoolkids are armed too. That will put an end to all those school shootings by the criminal element in our midst.

Kerry Kugelman

La Crescenta

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California is one of the last few states without handgun carry rights for good social risks who demonstrate competence. More than 40 states now grant these rights, with all appropriate prudence and caution. Nowhere are there bloodbaths or civil chaos; nowhere are people murdering each other over traffic accidents or shooting down cops. The dire predictions of those who advocate citizen helplessness have proved false. The old nonsense of “wrong place, wrong time,” an empty excuse for victims’ suffering death, maiming or rape because they’ve been forbidden to defend themselves, has become unacceptable to most Americans and will become unacceptable here.

California Democrats must soon decide whether hostility to self-defense and support of helplessness for helplessness’ sake are essential parts of liberal thought and the Democratic agenda, or bad and outdated ideas that need to be discarded.

Bruce J. Schneider

Irvine

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With all the atrocities occurring on Southern California freeways, perhaps we ought to change the information for the morning commute to weather report, traffic SigAlerts, Amber alerts, car chases and freeway snipers. In all this craziness, that ought to cover all the bases for commuters.

Sharon Karp

Los Angeles