Letters to the editor

A ‘dangerously indiscrete’ action

The provocateur who entered the Charlottesville Kroger’s last week displaying a firearm was not, in my view, responsibly exercising his Second Amendment rights, but rather a “don’t tread on me” narcissism. Nor was he responsibly exercising his First Amendment rights but, in effect, what he did was falsely yell “fire” in the proverbial “theater.” His stunt could have hurt innocent people.

What would have happened if someone — sensing, even incorrectly, a real threat — had opened fire? How would law enforcement have discerned, in more uncertain circumstances, whether someone was exercising a “right” or actually posing a real threat? Do we want to invite this type of fear and suspicion-based “arms race” in public places?

This man had a right to a gun; I support that right. But while it appears what he did was lawful, it was dangerously indiscrete. The act showed little sense for the greater good, no sense of restraint, and potentially placed his fellow citizens in harm’s way in an attempt to make a statement, regardless of the effect this act would have on others and the larger community.

Steve Smith

Winchester

‘Reasonable compromise’

My father was appointed a regular employee of the Post Office the day I was born in 1936. Over the next 32 years he saw many changes. About the time I began working as a letter-carrier in 1957, he came to the conclusion that Saturday delivery was a waste of money. Saturdays and Mondays were usually light days, and the mail could be easily combined.

The reported ideas of keeping the stations open on Saturday along with distributing box mail that day is a reasonable compromise. Ever since the Postal Service ceased Sunday mail collections from the “blue boxes” on the street, Monday mail volume has decreased dramatically.

We need the USPS to survive, but it cannot if it continues to lose $40 million every day.

Richard Rorex

E-Edition subscriber

Apple Valley, Calif.