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GET IT TOGETHER
I wish this city could get its act together. Of course, when only 1% of Springfield residents actually support the downtown area, this is what happens (“Work resumes on historic Ferguson building,” Dec. 15). Meanwhile, there seems to be no obstacles to building on the west side while the rest of the city rots.
Dennis Sklenka
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
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FINISH IT
Please take a fresh look at this project, and give Mr. Lawrence the resources to finish it.
Gary Seitz
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
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MOVE FORWARD
Rick Lawrence deserves an apology. Many should know how politics and the media are connected. Many stories have been shared that were misleading and flat-out false. Mr. Lawrence does outstanding work and is a man of values and honor. His work is second-to-none and should move forward.
Tracie Baker-Smith
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
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NO NEED FOR ASSAULT WEAPONS
I am thankful the Illinois state legislature is representing my concerns about keeping Illinois citizens safer from gun violence by banning assault weapons and large-capacity magazines (“General Assembly to consider assault weapons ban,” Dec. 15).
I am no stranger to firearms, and I support responsible gun ownership. The fact is, some weapons are simply not necessary, appropriate or responsible for the general citizenry to own, and we allow them at a terrible cost. Sure, it’s possible to hunt with an AR-15, but that’s not what it was designed for. The AR-15 is just a semiautomatic version of the M-16 – the weapon carried by American GIs during Vietnam. As a semiauto, the only limit to how fast a shooter can fire is how quickly they can pull the trigger. It was not made for killing deer; it was made for killing people.
Illinois currently has no law banning large-capacity magazines, and the largest made for the AR-15 holds 100 rounds. It has long been the weapon of choice for mass shooters for one simple reason: it’s currently the most efficient, legal weapon to kill a lot of people in a short time frame.
Gun violence is a complex issue that requires layered solutions – comprehensive laws and education campaigns. HB 5855 a good start to save lives in our state.
Daniel N. Barham
Chatham
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JUST A PLOY
So what exactly makes a gun an assault weapon? The AR-15 fires exactly the same rounds per trigger squeeze as any semi-automatic weapon. These make up a large majority of guns owned. This is the Democrats taking advantage of headlines to try their gun grabs they’ve always wanted.
Gary Nelson
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
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FAT CHANCE
Can’t wait to see the people lining up to register their weapons with the state police.
Wendell Holdman
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
This article appears in Sweeping crime law in the spotlight.
