If You Build It …
In response to “Investors of the Lost Ark” (LEO Weekly, Aug. 1), I must state that I felt as if I was reading a faux article in The Onion. We are to believe that Noah built some massive ship that housed every animal, insect and bird in the world, and which stored food and provisions to nurture them all though some global flood that killed everything. And it housed dinosaurs. What happened to the unicorns and the fire-breathing dragons? Ham needs to raise some $73 million to create this non-functional super ship amusement park, and we are left to believe that Noah built the real thing with only his three sons? Even considering that it may have taken a hundred years, the suspension of disbelief is mammoth. And our broke state government is proposing tens of millions in tax breaks for this? Wow. How about just building that East End bridge? No unicorns, no fire-breathing dragons, no dinosaurs. Just a bridge.
Mark McWane, Middletown
Manilow Love
Just wanted to write and tell you how much I enjoyed your short — too short — interview and story on Barry Manilow (LEO Weekly, July 25). I loved Barry’s answer to your question: “With the increasing use of anti-depressants, I think most people can really smile without you. Thoughts?” Barry Manilow laughs, “What’s the question? You can smile without me? Well, I guess that would be nice if it were true.”
P.S. Didn’t much care for its placement in the column by Sara Havens, The Bar Belle. I would imagine someone as astute, well-traveled and good as Barry Manilow is neither an imbiber nor drunk, as I am not either. I don’t ever forget his songs and talent!
Sister Mary, Sisters of St. Benedict
God and Guns
In response to the Aug. 8 Inbox letters “Safety First” (John Gamel) and “Guns Over God” (Paul L. Whiteley), I have some comments about God and guns. Whiteley is concerned that we care more about guns in America than we do God. Well, remember, it is no secret that the majority of the same people who believe in banning guns are the same ones who are responsible through court challenges of kicking God out of the public schools, courts, public events and other traditional places. He still blesses individuals, but scripture is clear about what God feels about nations that do not repent of sin.
Gamel’s points about armies and private citizens are completely and historically inaccurate as well. History has proven over and over again that an armed populace is a deterrent against tyranny, and that’s why Hitler registered and confiscated weapons before he murdered 11 million Jews, gays and political opponents. In the event of such a conflict, gun owners and armies with state-of-the-art-munitions are not going to meet on the local football field! Historically, hand-held weapons win battles, not bazookas or tanks. I am also confident that the thousands of gun owners who defend their wives and daughters from home invasions with guns feel that there is something very pro-life about that.
Mark D. Milby, Camp Taylor
Breakin’ the Law
Shawn Reilly asks, in his Aug. 1 Inbox letter, whether we can “accept reasonable limitations on guns that keep military-grade weapons out of the hands of illegal immigrants, terrorists and mass murderers.”
First, Holmes’ weapons are said to be military-styled, but they are not military grade. They were semi-automatic. Fully automatic weapons are already illegal. Second, if Holmes had lacked all access to firearms, is it reasonable to conclude that he could not have found another way to inflict carnage? Seeing as how his apartment was rigged, I don’t think so. Third, consider this: Some of you will, at some point today, smoke an illegal marijuana cigarette, the kind prohibited by what some people consider “reasonable limitations.” In addition, I have seen a completely automatic gun in use here in Louisville, a type that should be unavailable under existing gun limitations. I will never forget the sound it made. Nor will I forget my sense of helplessness as I ran back into my apartment with my children.
The fact about gun control is that it restricts the availability of guns only to the law-abiding, never to the law-breaking.
Rich Mills, Shawnee
