Letters to the Editor for Oct. 5, 2017

Until Republicans vote for gun control, they own mass shootings I hold every voting Republican personally responsible for the killings in Las Vegas. The largest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. As we deal with the carnage, the Republicans in D.C. have been quietly working to pass two bills since January: * One bill eases the ability to buy a gun silencer/less regulations and restrictions. * The second bill is called "Universal Conceal Carry Reciprocity." It will allow anyone who has a license to conceal/carry a gun to carry it in any of the 50 states, even if a state has tighter conceal/carry restrictions than the original state the conceal/carry license was purchased in. That includes me! I have a license to conceal/carry a handgun. I got it three years ago. I live in the liberal "blue state" of Washington and still it was so darn easy. I've never held a gun. Never shot a gun. Never owned a gun. Never took a gun safely class. I never plan to do any of those things. But I walked into my local sheriff's office, paid $52.50, filled out a short form, got finger printed and I walked out in 20 minutes. Five weeks later the license came in the mail. It was that easy! The only way I would have failed the background/fingerprint test was if I had been convicted of a violent offense or been involuntarily admitted to a mental hospital. I could be a domestic abuser, or admitted voluntarily to a mental hospital many times and I would have passed the background check. Some people say, well, if you get a gun, go take a gun safety class. They miss the point: It wasn't required! And now with this bill being proposed (of which our own Republican Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler is a co-sponsor), some untrained idiot just like me can have a concealed gun in a grocery store while you or your children shop. How does that make your community safer!? It's about easy access! Until enough Republican voters see the light on this -- and change their voting stances on guns -- I hold each one of them personally responsible. They alone are the major roadblock to any legislation many of us out here have tried to put forth to change things. God knows I and many other citizens have done our hard work on this for years. I am so so tired of it all and so sad for the never-ending victims. Republicans -- you own this! Joanne Pinelli, Camas Vote Coston out of game for good Dan Coursey is up to bat in the last Washougal council race and hits a home run against the other side's pitcher, Molly Coston. Strike One on Coston. Molly Coston's supporters? Mostly liberals. Strike Two on my score card. Two letters in Post-Record laud her membership in many organizations. No mention of any accomplishments that she initiated, just like when she was a Washougal city councilor and voted with then-Mayor Sellers' proposed roundabouts for Highway 14 at 32nd and 15th. Before that vote, a meeting was held at Washougal High School explaining how roundabouts work -- 75 percent of responders that filled out comment sheets, said no to having roundabouts on Highway 14. Molly Coston ignored that 75 percent and voted "yes," believing the outrageous statistics that Mayor Sellers submitted. In 2011, the Council was given the correct statistics from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and voted the roundabouts out. Strike Three. Molly Coston sided with Mayor Guard's proposal to create a new full-time position as administrative aide to the city administrator -- now labeled aide to the mayor and city administrator -- which resulted in the loss of one police officer for four years. Strike Four? No, let's vote her out of the game for good. Vote Dan Coursey for mayor of Washougal. He is one-for-one running against Molly Coston. Let's make it two-for-two. He is a leader, not a follower. Harvey D. Olson, Washougal

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