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Show Viewpoints The A-9 Park Record. Wed/Thurs/Fri, August 7-9, 2019 editorial Pack the stands in support of Summit County’s prep athletes I guest editorial Regulation of semi-automatic weapons can prevent violence BRIAN BYTHROW Park City As we reflect on the horrific mass shooting events of the past week, it occurs to me there is a way to handle gun ownership and still respect an individual’s 2nd Amendment rights. When the average person sees the term “assault rifle,” they think of automatic weapons used by our military and commonly in action movies. These automatic weapons are defined under the National Firearms Act as class III weapons. As an individual, you are not allowed to purchase one of the weapons unless approved by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, pay a hefty tax, and pay a heftier price for such weapon. Have these measures deterred gun violence? Yes! There are almost no documented cases of murders by owners of automatic weapons. Those that do occur are with illegally obtained weapons and even then, it’s not common. What is legal and relatively easy to purchase is a semi-automatic weapon, the only difference being the shooter has to pull the trigger for each shot. As we have seen in these mass shootings, even a semi-automatic weapon can be extremely lethal. So, if Congress and the courts have deemed restricting ownership of automatic weapons doesn’t violate one’s 2nd Amendment rights, why can’t that do the same for semi-automatic weapons? The answer is they can and with just a stroke of a pen. Under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 semi-automatic weapons were banned. This law expired in 2004 and since then we’ve seen the sale of semi-automatic weapons grow. Part of this was due to gun manufacturers making these weapons “cool” by offering many accessories and customizable options. When the 2nd Amendment was ratified in 1791, what were the “arms” available at the time? The answer is muskets. These weapons are loaded single shot at a time and even the best Minutemen could only load two rounds per minute. Modern day muskets are called black powder weapons and are still used by hunters. How many mass murders per year are committed with black powder weapons? Almost zero as they are difficult and time consuming to re-load. When you consider a popular pastime enjoyed by millions of American including myself, you should ask if semi-automatic weapons are allowed in this sport. The answer is generally no, but if allowed, the magazine capacity is limited to four rounds. So, a ban on high-capacity magazines would not negatively affect the hunter. What about competitive shooting, as seen in the summer Olympics? As a former shooting competitor, again the answer is there would be no negative effect as most the competitive shooting sports are single shot or dual shot matches. When I poll my fellow hunters and shooting sports participants, no one believes their 2nd Amendment rights would be violated if Congress limited access to semi-automatic weapons. Most, as I am, are in favor of tougher restrictions on gun ownership to help weed out those individuals who’d be better off being turned away. A process and tax similar to that required for purchasing a fully automatic weapon is an easy step. While making it more restrictive to own high-capacity ammunition and semi-automatic weapons won’t end all gun violence, it’s a trade-off most of us gun owners are willing to make. letters to the editor Just whom is Romney representing? Editor: I own a successful small business headquartered in Park City. My company does federal government contracting. I recently had the opportunity to attend the National Small Business Association (NSBA) conference in Washington, D.C., where I was afforded the opportunity to meet with two of Senator Romney’s staff members who let me know that Senator Romney sits on the Senate Small Business Committee. I requested that Senator Romney, during the August recess, attend a meeting of approximately 100 small business owners in Utah who participate in the SBIR (Small Business The Park Record Staff PUBLISHER ....................... Andy Bernhard Editor ................................... Bubba Brown Staff Writers ......................Jay Hamburger Scott Iwasaki Alexander Cramer Ryan Kostecka Contributing ............................. Tom Clyde Writers Jay Meehan Teri Orr Amy Roberts Tom Kelly Joe Lair Copy Editor ............................ James Hoyt Engagement Editor..Christopher Samuels Photographer .........................Tanzi Propst Circulation Manager ............. Lacy Brundy Accounting Manager ......... Jennifer Snow ADVERTISING Advertising Director ........... Valerie Spung Advertising Sales ................... Jodi Hecker Erin Donnelly Lindsay Lane Sharon Bush Events Manager ................. Julie Bernhard Production Director ..................Ben Olson Production ........................Chelsea Babbitt Innovative Research) program. Collectively, these businesses represent thousands of Utah jobs and likely well over $100 million in annual revenue. Senator Romney’s staff members have dragged their feet on committing to this meeting, and recently let me know that Senator Romney had 50-plus requests for meetings plus town hall meetings scheduled. They have now stopped communicating at all. My question is this — if Senator Romney is on the Senate Small Business Committee yet he cannot commit to meeting with 100 Utah small businesses to inform himself on small business issues so that he can better represent Utah small businesses in Washington (his committee assignment), then just whom is he representing? Certainly not Utah small business. t’s time for Parkites to dig through their closets and pull out their finest red and white Miners apparel. Those who live on the East Side, meanwhile, may opt instead for Wildcat green or Braves purple. Wherever their loyalties lie, Summit County residents need to gear up: The dog days of summer have arrived, bringing with them the return of high school sports in Summit County, which represent an opportunity to appreciate athletic competition in one of its purest forms. The athletes who will suit up for Park City, South Summit and North Summit high schools have devoted countless hours to the pursuit of their sports. Nearly all of them are motivated, above all, by a love of the game. In an age when the personal failings of many of our athletic heroes have eroded the idealism once attached to sports, there’s something uplifting about the passion of high school athletes, whose biggest reward won’t come in the form of a fat paycheck but rather in the memories they’ll treasure when their playing days are over. Residents should unite behind their student-athletes and reward them for their dedication by showing up in droves to cheer for them. And not just when the Friday night lights guest editorial Widening S.R. 248 is practical solution in community that relies on vehicle traffic THOMAS N. JACOBSON Park City There has been significant discussion and emotions concerning the plans of UDOT to change the landscape and functionality of S.R. 248. Unfortunately, Summit County and Park City are not taking a practical approach to addressing the need of people to access the various venues, activities and daily needs of our diverse community. There is nothing wrong or inappropriate for wishing for a community that relies on transit, walking and bicycles for the majority of its travel. Proponents point to various areas in the world where that model is taking shape. Unfortunately, for all of us, that is not Summit County and Park City. When you drive east on S.R. 248 in the morning, there is a string of cars, trucks, delivery vans and construction equipment trying to make its way into the city. Everyone relies on the people making this trek, which includes domestic workers, resort employees, city employees, management companies, contractors, repair personnel and others supporting Park City. There is no alternative for anyone not on the Black bus route. There is no bus from Heber, Daniels, Coalville or other places these folks come from. Bike routes are not practical in winter, and it is unreasonable to expect contractors, repair personnel, delivery vans and others engaged in a commercial activity to do otherwise. Years ago, we set out to invite the world to Park City. We have been successful in that endeavor and there isn’t a person living in Summit County who has not experienced Editor: I find myself in complete agreement with the sentiments expressed by Michael Smith in a guest editorial in the July 1 issue of The Park Record, in which he complained about the ever-increasing leftish bias in the paper. We’d like to believe the paper serves the entire community, not just our liberal friends. As I perused the most recent editions of The Park Record Op Ed sections, however, my eye was drawn immediately to the political cartoons, almost all of which are anti-conservative. And I began to think about the recent story of the misguided senior at the high school who believed that a meeting of conservative students posed a danger to the student body that could be abated only by discharging pepper spray at them. How could he have possibly thought he was doing something unobjectionable? Was it something he heard in conversations at home or discussions heard in winter the long line at the S.R. 224 ramp or the grueling experience of needing to go to Walmart or other stores in Kimball Junction and waiting as much as 50 minutes to get there. The rental car businesses promote the use of cars to get from the airport to Park City. Wasatch Front residents will tell you “What bus?” when you mention the marathon trek to try and use the 901 bus. S.R. 224 is not going to be enlarged per the county and buses have a difficult time using the bus lane because in some parts of the country our visitors will tell you it is a loss of family pride to allow anyone to pass you, even a bus on the shoulder. We need to address a short-term, medium-term and long-term solution. Unfortunately, the short-term solution, as long as cars, trucks and other vehicles are the primary source of transportation, is to follow the UDOT plan. In the medium-solution, the right of way for S.R. 248 can be used for other forms of transportation as they become practical. These can include a practical and viable form of public transportation — something still requiring years to perfect. The long-term solution utilizes the right of way for a corridor that accommodates what some are looking for today. If there is one thing we have learned over the years it is not to give up transportation corridors. As long as S.R. 248 is the access to the grocery stores, high school and other businesses, attempts to ignore the problem will make it only worse. If making the improvements now does one thing, it will improve the air quality by eliminating all of the idling motor vehicles currently sitting on S.R. 248 and provide another practical access to both points east and I-80. The Park record Pulse Here’s a sampling of the conversation readers are having on our Facebook page. To visit the page, go to Facebook.com/parkrecord/. If any president had called my name to approach the dais and speak to a huge crowd when I was Ryan’s age, I would have frozen solid, unblinking, like Jan on one of the Brady Bunch episodes. Not to mention wet my pants. Ryan is a classy, confident, kind, caring, intelligent young man. I’m a bit in awe of his skills at this age. Congratulations are in order for this kid who is a doer!” Park City is in the position of being an example for the rest of America. How? By influence. PC has been voted as one of the top 10 places to live in America. We are early adopters. We could be the first city in America to go zero fossil fuels by 2030. I’m sure there are wealthy people of influence interested in providing a cleaner and safer environment for their children, right?” Meg Leaf, on “Park City teen’s appearance with President Trump a ‘life-changing moment’” Glenn A. Smith, on “For the Record: How should resort towns like Park City combat climate change?” Robert M. Chamberlain Park City Record reflection switch on. Football, of course, has long reigned supreme in the prep sports hierarchy, and filling up the bleachers for a gridiron matchup is rarely a problem. Athletes playing other sports work just as hard. However, they often perform in front of much smaller crowds, sometimes consisting primarily of their family members. This school year, let’s change that. Make your way to an afternoon girls soccer game, catch a tennis match or check out a track and field meet — or pick from one of the many other sports that fill out the prep season. And one needn’t be a sports fanatic to appreciate the action. Residents will walk away impressed by the students’ talent and the intensity of the competition. And if past success at the three high schools is any indication of what’s in store, they may well be watching teams that will ultimately earn the title of state champion. Regardless of the win-loss records they compile, though, the athletes have earned our support through their tireless work, as well as our confidence that they will represent Summit County well. As a community, let’s show up and make sure they know how grateful we are for their efforts. Not a fan of Trump nor Turning Point, but I am a fan of Park City kids getting on the stage. Nice work!” Buster Pike, on “Park City teen’s appearance with President Trump a ‘life-changing moment’” Renewable energy, train from airport to kimball, and of course....stop building huge carbon footprint homes!” Ron Reilly, on “For the Record: How should resort towns like Park City combat climate change?” The Park Record attained permission to publish these comments. Some comments may have been lightly edited for clarity. in classrooms, or was it listening to uncritical news coverage of mayhem committed by Antifa nihilists, or perhaps the outrageous treatment of conservatives in public places that goes with nary a criticism in the mainstream press? Then, as I returned to the Op Ed page cartoons, a disturbing thought occurred to me: Could the tenor and tone of the cartoons influence attitudes in the community regarding acts of violence? If my memory serves, nearly every one of the cartoons appearing in The Park Record for the last two years (and beyond) deride, ridicule and mock conservative public figures and ideas with twisted caricatures and distorted premises. Yet we never see cartoons of, for example, President Obama’s promise that if we like our insurance plan and doctor we can keep them. Or Joe Biden’s policy flip flops on China and abortion. Or Elizabeth Warren’s self-serving preposterous claim of Native American heritage. The above and more like them are legitimate subjects for political humor. The list is endless but beyond the ideologically limited curiosity of the editorial staff. So perhaps when we search for the many answers as to why some in our town might think that the ends justify the means in this politically charged environment, The Park Record staff might just pause and reflect. Editor: Soooooo. Joe Biden’s Utah campaign stop is in — wait for it — Park City? Home to 5,000 or so voters? Reminds me of Hillary’s Utah campaign stop, which was also ... Park City. And I’m also reminded that Park City is the second home of a handful of hugely wealthy campaign donors. Coincidence? I think not. Joe, at least, has the sense to make some public appearances while he’s here, having learned from Hillary that trying to hide what you’re doing in Park City is a bad idea. Bill Redkey Heber City Tom Horton Park City Cash grab |