| Show The Herald Journal Logan Utah Thursday May Firearms owners should be pleased 2 1986 &mm llOLDVOUlirSA PROMOTION FORTELLWQ Miami! with new gun law Three cheers for President Reagan who on Monday signed the Firearms’ Owners Protection Act The new law e will eliminate some of the associated with the buying and transporting of firearms nsed for hunting Most Utahns and Idahoans will be pleased to know their congressional representatives including Idaho’s Rep Richard Stallings a Democrat who represents Franklin County voted for the measure or so we were told by the politicians’ public relations people Idahoans should be especially proud because Sen James was the chief sponsor of the bill in the McGure Senate The legislation as- we understand it is a compromise which offers both those who supported it and those who opposed it pieces of the pie Police and groups for example were able to close some loopholes which they feared would hurt law enforcement while supporters of the measure were able for the first time in 18 years to win a battle against some of the red tape contained in the 1968 Gun Control AcL We think hunters — and goodness knows there are plenty of those in this neck of the woods— and legitimate dealers are the big winners in this issue because the measure signed by the president allows: Hunters to transport firearms across state lines rifles and shotguns to be sold to buyers restricts federal inspections of gun dealers and eases g some of the more obnoxious regulations in red-tap- - gun-contr- ol out-of-sta- law-abidi- ng record-keepin- the 1968 act An important aspect of the bill which should please both control and anti-gu- n control factions is the the pro-guestablishment of minimum sentences for those who use a gun in the commission of a violent crime President Reagan was quoted as saying that he is pleased with the new law primarily because in press secretary Larry Speakes’ words it “is the result of seven long years of debate and analyses of deficiencies’ in existinglaw Speakes said the president believes the law protects “the citizens without diminishing the rights of effect of criminal law enforcement” We would agree quickly adding however that gun ownership carries with it great responsibilities While diligently fighting to preserve their freedoms to own and use guns hunters dealers and collectors should likewise be concerned with educating our youth — and anyone else who chooses to enjoy the sport of shooting — about safety the rights of property owners sportsmanlike behavior in the field conservation of wildlife and the basic principles of firearm ownership established in the Constitution and maintained by the courts n law-abidi- US should not trust the Sandinistas is a widespread belief in Washington that Nicaragua win sign the Contadora treaty on June 8 at a meeting of There ng to those concerns Given attention and responsible behavior on the part of gunowners there is no reason to believe that their children’s grandchildren win be denied the privileges shooting and hunting enthusiasts law-abidi- ng enjoy today Letters to the Editor few state legislators and the governor refuse to even discuss Wilderness the issue To the editor: This win not deter wilderness On Wednesday May 14 1986 The Herald Journal said it all in an excellent editorial about BLM wilderness Not at all surprisingly the state Legislature on the same day said nothing And the very next night oblivious to The Herald Journal editorial i Gov Norman Bangerter apparently con- supporters It win just draw the local officials out of the process And maybe that is what is needed unfortunately The simple matter of fact is Utah has not shouldered the burden of protecting our wildlands effectively If BLM’s timid wilderness recommendation was enacted into law it would stiff be less acreage than is contained in Wyoming’s Yellowstone Na- firmed the “nothingness” of the state Legislature by stating at tional Park the Salt Lake City BLM Surely Utah can do a better wilderness hearing (51588) job than simply turning a deaf that he opposed further ear to wilderness wilderness designation in Utah The lack of wisdom by some Dick Carter members of the Legislature Utah Wilderness Association (our hearty congratulations to the nine voices opposing Sen Ivan Matheson’s antiw- ilderness resolution!) and the Wilderness governor is simply unmatched How can these people so callously dismiss wilderness in the face of the support for wilderness by Utah citizens throughout the state? How can they so callously dismiss wilderness in the face To the editor: ity and some undeveloped open space? d How such folks can be asked to speak for future generations is beyond comprehension Wilderness is a controversial issue wherever it is discussed But nowhere that it is discussed is it so capriciously handled as in Utah No other western state would dare compromise the future as blindly as some of our elected representatives just did At least the discussion should legislators!) attended the wilderness proposal meeting and a few expressed their feet The Herald Journal’s reporter’s news (?) story and editorial (definitely ‘Our View’) on the recent issue of setting aside more acres of Utah’s public lands for use by our state’s of the obvious values of “wilderness exclusive” club wilderness — preservation of smacks of editorial bias The silent majority (Yea for watersheds wildlife habitat aesthetics environmental qual- the governor and foe elected short-sighte- tags Unfortunately foe BJ’s reporters only counted those who spoke at foe meeting as being in attendance and completely excluded and ignored the Allen family Mike Rose Otto Derr ' Bart Godfrey Blake Wlnward Ned Budge and others who came to listen and have their vote counted When you ten your readers around which areas their was a majority should not be considered for In favor of wilderness first you wilderness and what boundaries had better do a ron-cavote the wilderness valAnd then ydu should allow for ues stacked decks Environmens That should be the norm and talists' coalitions are some of has been our intent throughout foe radicals in this process However the opponents of wilderness led by a SeeLETTEUonpage2S center two-to-o- ne ff best-prote-ct best-organiz- ed l foreign ministers of five Central American countries and eight associated South American nations There is also widespread fear that Nicaragua wfil sign foe agreement never fulfiU its terms and nonetheless reap the benefits of compliance by its neighbors and the United States It is a reasonable fear based on the past behavior of the Sandinistas After all the Sandinistas in 1979 promised democratic elections free press and assembly and rule of eivU law These commitments were made when Sandinista leaders needed help in ousting Somoza and winning power Once in power the junta leaders rejected talk of elections claiming that Nicaraguans had already voted “with their blood and with the guns in their hands” None of the promises made to foe Organization of American States was kept Instead the Sandinista government gagged the press denied foe right of assembly subjected businesses ana trade unions to comprehensive controls and suspended the rue of law When elections were finally held in 1984 foe government controlled the choice of candidates the campaign and foe outcome What reason is there then to believe that the same leaders who made solemn written promises of democracy six years ago wffl honor them now if they sign the proposed treaty? Jeane Kirkpatrick 'Vt Ik Sunkaed ooLmnist The treaty would commit its signatories to democratic freedoms and elections the removal of foreign military and security personnel an end to importation of foreign arms and noninterference in the internal affairs of each other The 21 Contadora Objectives are wholly consistent with the goals of US policy in the region But Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and the junta do not speak as though they are planning a democratic transition “We are not going to disarm the revolution” Ortega said last week “Not one rifle win leave Nicaragua in any negotiations” Junta member Sergio Ramirez Mercado said Nicaragua would be disposed to sign foe Contadora treaty only if foe United States pledged to respect its terms Special envoy Ambassador Philip Habib has already informally indicated the US would do so In a letter to three Democratic congressmen Habib asserted that foe U5 would support a treaty that provided for “comprehensive verifiable and simultaneous implementation” adding “we would not feel politically bound to respect an agreement that Nicaragua was vio- lating” But would the United States move to demobilize and disband the Contras while Nicaragua stalls and dissembles? One of the treaty’s provisions foe one Nicaragua is most concerned with would outlaw “irregular military forces” and dismantle their bases The Sandinistas might even cut off their flow of weapons and guerrillas to neighboring countries However it would be easy support a year enough to resume or two later Such a swindle would not be the first one experienced by the United States We have already made real concessions in exchange for promised goods that never materialized At Yalta Stalin promised free electons for Poland North Vietnam promised a cease-fir- e and withdrawal of foreign troops from Laos and Cambodia At Helsinki the Soviets promised to respect human rights and permit emmigrathm Following the Cuban missile crisis Nikita Khrushchev promised President Kennedy the Soviet Union would not instaU offensive weapons in Cuba and would not use that country to export revolution in foe fun-sca- le hemisphere The communist record of treaty compliance reminds one of Thomas Hobbs’ dictum that “covenants without swords” are not to be relied on Obviously the United States should not acquiesce in an agreement which wffl not be fulfilled acquiesce in tryranny for Nicaragua and enhanced risks for American national security is simply unthinkable e lfM Los Angelas ThnM Syndicate To turmoil for Central America Traffic mishaps — to smile or not to smile? My heart sank the other day as I entered an intersection and the large car in the opposing lane didn’t heed the stop sign coming straight at me preparing to squash my VW bug I could embellish the story and say that this fool came roaring through the intersection and were it not for my quick thinking and lightning reflexes I wouldn’t have been able to bring a ton of hurtling metal to a stop half an inch short of death But in truth we were both doing about 10 miles an hour So I was able to stop rather easily and with plenty of room to spare The guy in the other ear was embarrassed He gave me an apologetic gesture and a sheep in grin Partly because that was his reaction I nodded and smiled telling him with my gestures that it could happen to anyone I could also embellish the rest of the story and ten yon that that is typical of life in this town that people routinely smile at each other after traffic miscues That’s not entirely true If there is any place where the know he is shouting It may be shouting to a westerner But to Bid Hail him it is a normal conversational tone Hie Lewiston Tribune If you step on a westerner’s toe he wffl say nothing quietly extract his toe leave the room and never speak to you again wheel who hasn’t made a would have been played out if So it is startling to a serious mistake in traffic And we had been New York City cab westerner to witness one of driven can same the driver be yet that I think I know how it would these people who hits high C victim of a similar mistake two time he is offended with have gone Shouting and every hours later and stiff turn no discernible variation in descreaming and fist and righteous whether gree you stepped on how would that’s it have gone There is a terrible temptation hi toe or ran over his mother when someone crosses yon in I’ve seen tt I’ve seen it here too but with a truck for the third time traffic to get an buffo and I was reminded of that the forget that yon make mistakes rarely I’ve seen a lot more of it there I don’t know which way other day when a man I know in traffic too works better but the truth is called and tried to talk me into And you do Nonetheless most drivers tint people in New Yak and supporting one political canaround here are pretty forgiv- much of the rest of the East are didate ova another The odd thing was that we ing most of the time For more open (some would say instance on another occasion I more honest) in their anger agreed almost 100 percent on the strengths and weaknesses of was playing offense and the than most people are here’ If you step on a New Yorker’s each candidate And other driver wu on defense he toe he is likely to say “Aaay! supported one candidateyet I wu the one who and 1 leaned toward the otha ran a stop sign A Gettoffa my foot jerk He doesn’t mean it the way it The only difference wu that I man hi the opposing car tiie brakes in time to uve us sounds It's one of those found one candidate’s tendency both expressions like “How do you to yell and scream an odd way That entitled him under the do?” When you give someone a you don't really Righteous Rules of the Road to at Yet foe person I wu talking glare at me and shake want to know how a person his head if not actually blow up does with considered it a trifle a red-fac- ed absent-minded- ly how-do-you-- do lust bared rage But he didn’t know foe rules So he flashed me a forgiving smile and a puce sign I passed it on the other terrible in what It does to foe morning when foe guy ran the sweet nature of people stop sign But I wondered how There Isn’t a driver at foe our little intersection drama ' It means hello normal trifle Similarly “Aaay! Gettoffa It dawned on me what wu my foot jerk!” means in New happening The gny (0 Yorkese “I beg your pardon me Is a forma New Yorka but I do believe you have Vm glad ho caned because I accidentally stepped on my always enjoy talking with him foot” A New Yorker doesn’t era But I sure wouldn't want to meet him at intersection u 1 |
