Santos' AR-15 rifle proposal, Jan. 6 videos, school lunches, and teens' mental health

Readers shoot down Santos’ AR-15 idea

It seems rather insensitive and politically incorrect to sponsor a bill naming the AR-15-style semiautomatic assault rifle the “national gun of the United States” [“Santos backs bill to name ‘national gun,’  ” News, Feb.  24].

Given that Rep. George Santos (R-Nassau/Queens) has admitted to lying during his campaign, it makes no sense to address or give attention to his proposal, which is co-sponsored by three other House Republicans.

Are they missing something? They lack compassion and sensitivity as this has been the weapon of choice in many mass murders that this country has experienced in a relatively short window of time.

This is not about gun laws but rather about this weapon being intrinsic to unthinkable killings. It’s time to think of this accountability and appropriateness.

 — Nancy DiMonte, Elwood

I am outraged. As a grandmother of a student who was in a classroom shot up in the 2018 Parkland, Florida high school attack, it is beyond my comprehension that Rep. George Santos, a liar and a cheat, would sponsor this bill and wear an AR-15 lapel pin.

My granddaughter and her mother both, to this day — five years later — suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Santos’ remaining in office is a travesty of justice. He is completely unfit to serve and must be removed.

 — Julia De Tomaso, Syosset

I find it hard to direct any of my attention to the fraud that is Rep. George Santos, yet I feel compelled to respond out of respect for all those in our country who lost loved ones to an AR-15-style rifle. Even bad attention is attention.

I believe kindness does prevail, and my heart will always be with those who have suffered from horrific gun violence. I am confident that I speak for most Americans.

 — Diane McGuire, Northport

The United States has a national bird, flower, seal, anthem and mammal, and Rep. George Santos now wants to make the AR-15-style rifle our national gun.

Maybe we need a national HINO — a human in name only. I nominate Santos.

 — Sid Burgreen, Garden City

Releasing Jan. 6 videos not a stunt

It’s confusing and disappointing to read how Dan Janison describes the release of thousands of hours of official surveillance footage of the Jan. 6 violence at the U.S. Capitol as nothing more than a political stunt [“Shallow displays are the legislative rage,” Opinion, Feb. 23].

The only way to make sure no events like these happen again is to let the public see exactly what happened, build consensus for changes to the law that could help this, and enact those changes.

People can and should make up their own minds, based on complete evidence, no matter what that evidence may show.

Withholding information breeds distrust and should not be championed. Reasonable journalism and a functioning democracy require it.

 — Ray Grasing, Nesconset

Helping feed students is the American way

I agree 100% with your editorial about feeding our students [“Fund meals for our students,” Opinion, Feb. 24].

I believe that the best program created by the federal government, on a bipartisan basis, was Head Start and its commitment to provide free breakfasts for all young children. These “free” meals directly contributed to higher school grades and higher graduation rates.

Politicians support this, so now all we need is funding. Newsday’s editorial board favors New York State spending funds to “close the gap” of missing federal aid.

I would also recommend a 25-cent surcharge to each student to help pay for the “free meals,” educating each student that we all must give back, in some way, to those who are less fortunate, as taught by our religious institutions.

I would also encourage students receiving “free lunches” to volunteer through various clubs and school government to “give back” to our society. America’s spirit of volunteerism is one key to our success in the world and contributes to a free and fairer society.

 — Alan H. Cohn, Nesconset

Church accepts teens and all — everyone

A reader is way off base about teenagers being unwelcome by religious institutions [“Religion not always helpful to teenagers,” Letters, Feb. 26].

At our church, we accept everyone — whoever they are or wherever they come from.

So many of Jesus’ encounters and subsequent lessons revolve around those who were outcasts or overlooked by society: the Samaritan woman at the well, divorced five times; lepers; an unethical tax collector; and many more typically abandoned and/or downtrodden.

 — Scott Evans, Huntington