Editor:

I feel that I must respond to the disconnected load of tripe and propaganda thrown around by Jonathan Deesing (“Gun love is fueled by fear,” April 22).

Deesing states that Utahns are gun-toting, fear-driven imbeciles. I believe I speak for the majority of gun owners in this state, as well as in this country, when I say he is making an ad hominem attack based on his own ignorance and irrational fear of guns.

Those who have Concealed Firearm Permits regularly train or attend classes which they pay for themselves, not at the community’s expense. They regularly train many times each year with their weapon of choice and learn how to protect themselves or others if need be.

A large percentage of these civilians are much better marksmen than many officers. I don’t understand why Deesing denigrates these upstanding citizens unless he himself has an irrational fear of guns.

Finally, Deesing states that he will “just hand over my wallet and keep my hands blood free.” Of all of his comments, this one is the most ignorant and asinine he could have made. Deesing, if you are not married or have no dependents to concern yourself with, this could almost pass as an “OK” attitude to have8212;a bit flippant but almost understandable. If you are married, then you have a responsibility to defend yourself and your family; to not do so is an act akin to Pontius Pilate washing his hands as if he was not as guilty of Jesus’ crucifixion as the mob was. Your hands would be just as bloody, should your wife and child be killed and you stood by unwilling to defend them as if you had helped pull the trigger.

Your cowardice and unwillingness to defend yourself, your family and your Constitutional rights should not be cause for me abandoning my responsibility to my family, my fellow man or to myself. Liberty undefended is liberty lost.

Robie Cagle,
University Health Care Plus Enrollment Coordinator