Off The Editor’s Desk – 3-29-2017

“Don’t take your guns to town, son”

“Don’t take your guns to town, son,” are the words of a 1958 song by Johnny Cash. Those words came to mind last week when I heard about the shooting in a Cincinnati, Ohio night club that was full of people out for a good time that evening.

Apparently a fight broke out and the shooting started and one person died and 16 others were injured.

“Don’t take your guns to town, son,” is great advice for everyone, not only if you are going out for the evening but also when traveling. I looked at the shootings in our big cities and if everyone left those guns at home, how many people would still be alive?

I have guns; and belong to the National Rifle Association. But I don’t carry any of my guns anywhere except to the hunting grounds or to the target range. A couple of the guns are keepsakes to me, one a single shot shotgun that belonged to my grandfather. Two rifles, one that was my dad’s hunting rifle and another of the same caliber, that Dad and Mom gave to me at Christmas when I was 16. They bought that rifle at Steffen Hardware in Glenwood City for $79.95, if my memory serves me right.

Those that see the need to carry a firearm for protection, I can see that need and support it. But over the years I have watched the news reports of daily shooting in the big cities, mostly in Chicago, but also in the Twin Cities. That seems to be a daily event of TV, covering shootings.

As I go the Minnesota State Fair, I enter the fairgrounds from the north side off Larpenteur Avenue. Near that fair entrance is a make shift memorial to a fellow who was shot to death by a police officer who now faces charges. 

I don’t want to make any assumptions about the case other than to say, if the victim had left his gun at home, he most likely would still be alive.

Thanks for reading! ~Carlton

Hate raised its ugly head here!

Two weeks ago in this column I wrote about the word hate and how I hated the word hate. Well, hate has raised its ugly head as an unsigned letter to a local person who wrote a letter to the editor that we published on March 15th.

Tom Aebly wrote to us about his ten opinions that he gained over his more than 65 years. Tom called it “Confused”. Tom was made the target of some dope that is full of hate and sent Tom an unsigned letter.

That writer hides in the dark and vomits out his or her hate for all good things from depths of their evil heart. That person has to be the devil’s offspring.

Tom is a Navy veteran, and served for twenty years in that branch of service.

Tom writes in this week of his thoughts about receiving such a letter. Tom, you’re a great man with broad shoulders and an understanding heart. No one deserves to receive this type of letter, let alone one that is unsigned.

I will not publish the contents of the letter other than to say it is full of dirty language, but will quote one of its statements “you should have died last year when you were ill.”

I can only add that it is my hope that the writer of that letter will spend an eternity in hell. To the writer of that letter, you need to apologize to Tom, and ask him for his forgiveness, but that may not change my feelings of your worth.

Thanks for reading!     ~Carlton