Gangs, not gun carriers, are a problem

Myrna Loehrlein, president of the League of Women Voters of Iowa (“Prevent health risks posed by guns,” Jan. 25), is somehow under the impression that law-abiding citizens who apply for a gun permit pose a danger.

There are 600 gangs in Los Angeles, some with thousands of members. There were 670 gang-related deaths there last year. Gangs are all across the country, as well as in Iowa. They are armed to the teeth and don't respect our laws.

It's not just guns either. There are stabbings almost every day in the news. Gangs are a big part of the drug problem in this country.

The police are outgunned and outmanned. We need to be able to protect ourselves. If Loehrlein wants to feel safer from guns, have our government outlaw gangs. Use the military or whatever it takes to clean them up.

George Briggs

Lisbon