To the editor,
On January 23, 2013 one of the most entertaining basketball teams in the country will be coming to Laconia High School at 7 p.m. This is a fundraiser sponsored by The American Legion Post and 100 percent of the proceeds will go toward their scholarship fund. The scholarships the American Legion in Laconia hand out each year are awarded to local high school seniors pursuing higher education.
The challenging team will consist of local, hardworking volunteers throughout the community. You will see coaches from the community sports programs, teachers, doctors, police officers and many others playing against the Harlem Wizards. The game will be refereed by one of the finest and most patient officials in the area, Jeff Greeley. The players from the Harlem Wizards will be making a guest appearance at all of the Laconia Elementary Schools and the Laconia Middle School.
This fundraiser would not be possible without the support of local businesses that helped buy and sell tickets for this event. A special thanks to Aavid Engineering, Morin Electric LLC, All My Life Jewelers, Patrick's Pub and Eatery, Lou Athanas Youth Basketball League, and the Laconia High School JAG program.
Tickets will be sold at the door for $10 students and $12 adults.
Toby Knowlton, Commander
American Legion Post 1
Laconia

To the editor,
Belknap County residents may not be aware of the fact that the county has a new entertainment venue, the meeting room at the commissioner's wing. Monday night's public hearing on the budget was a cross between a tragedy and a comedy, with elements of a magic show. The performers spared no efforts (and manipulated the agenda) to assure that ample time was given to each of the Republican stars of the show to pledge frugality and hard nosed conservative values to the on-looking public. The drama was immediate when the first scene opened on the disembowelment of the commissioner's control of the budget, and the theft of that duty by the executive council.
So in a grand show, our Republican county caucus has told the voters that our choice for demonstrated competent and business like management by the commissioners was not our choice to make, they know better. You may read it in the stars that this single act will cost the taxpayers more than any other line item budget action of the evening. This is more of the same Washington-style partisan power play that infuriates the voters and cripples government into ineffectiveness. Pay theatrical homage to principle and fail to solve problems.
And now the elements of obfuscation and magic appear, as ample proclamations and pious brow beatings proceeded in pursuit of the sacrifices required to kill the budget gap. Here is where the shell game begins; when the commissioners negotiate a contract with the unions representing county labor, who will make the adjustments to the budget? Not the people we elected to do that job, who know the workings of the county institutions and operations, but the people we elected to legislate in Concord. Is this good governance? Will it result in long term savings to the taxpayers?
The proposed budget will result in our indigent elders receiving a reduction in already sparse services, and it is going to happen for the sake of political posturing. And there lies the tragedy.
Andrew Sanborn
Sanbornton

To the editor,
After reading letters submitted by Nancy Parsons and Joe Laurendeau I felt it necessary to answer their questions.
I'll start with Ms. Parsons. First let me say that she really ought to educate herself on a subject before opining on it. In a free society you have all sorts of personalities and gun owners are no different. I have been handling firearms since I was six years old (I have pictures to prove it) and in the many years since I have met and in some cases befriended many gun owners from all levels of society and I have no recollection of any that I have had contact with that were not responsible when it came to gun safety.
As far as the 2nd Amendment is concerned she should read the writings of Thomas Jefferson and others to learn why they found the right to keep and bear arms important enough to make it number two. As far as trying to take it away, she apparently hasn't read any writings produced by the "Brady Bunch" and other gun control fanatics.
Yes, I personally do think that at this period of time when we have so many spoiled brats in our society who were never taught the meaning of "NO" That having armed personnel at schools will go a long way to protecting the children.
Moving on, Nancy, first of all a magazine is an inert object and doesn't have any velocity. Secondly, when are you uninformed people going to learn that assault rifles are fully automatic weapons available only to the military and law enforcement and people with class 3 licenses. I would suggest that you check into the rigorous procedures for acquiring a class 3 license. By the way, in none of these incidents was a true assault rifle used and, no Nancy, nobody hunts with these guns. As far as how many bullets do you need to protect yourself that would depend on how many people were trying to harm you. Maybe if you have six people trying to get into your home you have the power to ask five of them to wait their turn, I don't have that power.
Now to the NRA. I personally disagree with release of the game of which Nancy refers to just as I disagree with all of the violent video games that come from other sources. Apparently Nancy only has a problem with the NRA video. I also disagree with the ad involving the president's daughters, just as I disagreed with the president's use of children in his photo-op about gun control. Again, apparently Nancy is choosy about what she considers despicable. If Nancy looked into the workings of the NRA she would find that they, one of which is I, do a hell of a lot of good with their extensive firearms safety courses. I recommend Nancy attend one at some point.
I definitely don't approve of a national database as it would make the confiscation of all firearms easy for a tyrannical government (read 2nd Amendment) of our own or that of an invading foreign one. I consider myself a responsible gun owner and I find it insulting that Nancy assumes that I and other gun owners have no compassion. I suggest she make it a point to interact with gun owners and find out just how wrong she is.
Now to Joe Larendeau, all I will say is this," Joe, you need help which I can't give you from these pages."
Dave Schwotzer
Meredith

To the editor,
Back in the 40s my dad was a proud member of the NRA. He was a devout "sportsman" who participated in turkey shoots several times a year. On occasion he would even bring back a turkey. Part of his membership included the glossy NRA catalogue which I enjoyed perusing. Various L.C. Smiths and Belgian blue steel shotguns were true marvels of the gun making craft. He had several works of beauty that he kept locked up in the mirrored wardrobe pulling them out from time to time to show prospective customers who responded to his newspaper ads to either trade or sell. These guns were so well made that they lasted a lifetime... hence the problem for the gun industry. In the past 50 years the NRA has gone from being a sportsman's organization to a deadly mouthpiece for gun manufacturers. Since guns do last a lifetime, the manufacturers have to keep inventing ways to sell their products or they would go out of business. Remember the Maytag washing machine? You only needed one. Today, the NRA has become so powerful that they own most of the Republicans and a even a few of the Democrats.
In an effort to stay alive (no pun intended) gun manufacturers had to continually revise their products to what you see today on the streets — assault weapons of all kinds. While doing so they have convinced half the population into believing that it's all about the 2nd Amendment, the constitution, freedom, and "protection" when all the while it's always been about the money. Don't think for a minute that the NRA doesn't get its cut from every gun sold in this country!
I was at the local supermarket this morning and couldn't help but notice that the family pack of chicken wings were selling for almost $12. These are the same wings that meat markets use to practically give away. Then along came the "marketing". They changed the name to Buffalo wings and tied them in with football viewing. The rest is history.
One has to admit that it was a great advertising ploy but the NRA has sold us the ULTIMATE bill of goods. They have convinced half the population into believing that their products "protect" us when in reality since the assassination of J.F. Kennedy way over a million of us have been killed with their products! Now that friends, is salesmanship.
So it's never been about the right to bear arms and maintaining a "state militia" aka Negro slave patrols. It's always been about the money. In the final analysis it will come down to whether you believe the NRA's distorted view of the 2nd Amendment and a hunters right to kill four legged creatures or children's' rights to attend school without being riddled by assault weapons.
Here's hoping that most reasonable gun owners will see through the nefarious evolution over the years of the NRA.
George Maloof
Plymouth