Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D.

To the Editor:

I am alarmed by armed anti-government protesters taking over a federal building in Oregon (“Occupying Federal Land, to Little Response,” news article, Jan. 5).

The members of the group are criminals, not heroes, as they seem to think. These people must be arrested and tried in court. Since they have announced that they are willing to kill federal or state law enforcement, we need to proceed carefully, but we cannot give in to this form of domestic terrorism.

It is time to turn off the power, water and lights to the building, to block the roads, to patrol the perimeter and, if needed, airspace, and to wait. No one goes in or out for any reason except to surrender. It will require patience and determination, but we must act.

If any group of armed thugs can challenge the government successfully, then we are no longer a country of laws. If you disagree with a law, vote to change it. If you dislike the government, vote to change it. What we cannot, and must not, allow is armed insurrection.

KIMBERLY A. CARPENDER

San Diego

The Lexicon of Love (1982).

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To the Editor:

Re “Obama to Expand Gun Sale Checks” (front page, Jan. 5):

I’m always surprised by how angry gun lovers sound. Even if we eventually manage to pass gun registration laws and ban the guns of war, they’ll still have access to more guns, more easily than in any other first-world country.

We have many more gun murders each year than all these countries. Why do we need so many more guns than anywhere else? Why is more, more, more never enough?

Now, concealed carry isn’t enough, so we need open carry—to schools, to bars, everywhere.

Instead of mindlessly repeating that America is the greatest country on earth, maybe it’s time to learn something from other countries for a change.

ROBERT E. DAVIDSON

New York

Note from KBJ: Note the manipulative rhetoric: "angry gun lovers." First, anger can be righteous. It's called indignation. If you threaten or violate my rights, I will be indignant. The letter writer does nothing to show that the anger he detects is not righteous. Second, one does not have to "love" guns in order to believe that one has a legal and moral right to own and possess them. If one side "loves" guns, then, by parity of reasoning, the other side must "hate" them. Do you hate guns, Mr Davidson? Third, what are "guns of war," and what does this have to do with lawful gun ownership for purposes of self-defense, defense of others, hunting, and so on? Fourth, we Americans do not want to be like other countries. These other countries have given the world genocide, among other atrocities. The United States is the land of individual liberty. We have nothing to learn from other countries. They have much to learn from us.

This morning, at a Shell station in Arlington, Texas, I paid $1.899 per gallon for regular unleaded gasoline. With my Kroger card, it came to $1.799. What're y'all payin' in your neck o' the woods?

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To the Editor:

Re “Real Victims in the Victimhood” (Sunday Review, Dec. 27):

Arthur C. Brooks is looking at the wrong end of the equation.

The reason we have an epidemic of victims is that we have become a nation of abusers.

Our role models in government, sports, law and business show great glee in beating up their competitors. Our sitcom laughs are mostly put-downs. And snark rules the Internet.

When our news media and political discourse are filled with gloating and manipulation, the message is “dominate or be dominated.” Where bullies rule, victims follow. Calling them victims of their own victimhood is only heaping on more abuse.

BILL WEBER

Los Angeles

Note from KBJ: The greatest abuser of all is the woman who kills her helpless child. Bill Weber, meet abortion.

Remember these? I ate a Chocolatey bar this evening.