This letter is in reply to the June 9 letter from Sheriff Ramsay to your esteemed newspaper. I am proud to have known Rick Ramsay for the greatest part of his life. One of the earliest conversations we shared was when he was a teenaged cadet in full, spiffy uniform – I often think that he had police insignias on his diapers when he was a baby – and he came by to chat on a site where I was building a home.
He noticed that I was alone and asked where my crew was, and I told him that there was a fire in town and every man in my crew was a volunteer fireman. He was a bit wowed and said I should be entitled to at least one “get out of jail free” card. He was joking, of course, for I know he would slam me just like he would anyone else if it was called for. Please, Rick, make this job your permanent profession, stay with us here in the Keys, and don’t let some big city or county steal you away!
The sheriff’s letter regarding the school shooting in Uvalde was spot on as far as it went, but I would like to add that I can’t think of anyone other than the police or military who should be armed with assault weapons. It makes me sick to think of the possibility of a wonderful man like our sheriff or any of his deputies having to rush in and disable some deranged person filling the air with bullets.
My father was a hunter of pheasants, I was a hunter of fish with my hands or spear guns, and now I shoot and kill those @#$%^& iguanas, and I am proud to say that both of my sons are game hunters – my wife and I occasionally enjoy the bounties of our son Erik’s hunting skills on our dinner table.
Yes, of course guns can be tools of good use. But weapons of mass destruction should be outlawed except for use by a very, very small part of our population for whom the need is clearly proven. Please, folks, make sure our elected leaders know how you feel and vote accordingly.
Thank you,
Arnie Steinmetz
