Knoxville

Tax guns, ammo for victims' fund

There is a simple solution to the gun problem. Establish a fund to compensate victims of gun violence without regard to fault. This should be funded by taxes like the wheel tax on each gun plus the ammunition. I would suggest for openers that each shotgun and .22-caliber rifle be taxed $10 per annum, each handgun and rifle larger than .22 caliber at $30 per annum, each assault weapon at $100 per annum and each machine gun at $1,000 per annum. Each round of ammunition would be taxed at $1 collected from the manufacturer. The state would have a lien on each gun to secure payment of the tax, and failure to timely pay such tax would result in the confiscation of the weapon and its sale or other method of disposal by the state.

Firearms and ammunition in the hands of law enforcement would not be exempt since these weapons cause a great deal of unnecessary damage to the public. Those injured by guns would be compensated from this fund in the usual manner, including the right to a jury trial where the parties could not agree on the amount of damages. An additional tax of at least $100 per gun should be assessed on each manufacturer to get an initial funding for the victims' compensation fund. This would replace the need for private charity in cases like Las Vegas as well as police shootings.

Ben Brabson, Sevierville

PBS Vietnam War series earns praise

I really enjoyed the Vietnam War series that was recently broadcast on our

local PBS channel.



I’m a retired Air Force guy. I was with the Air Force in military and civil service

status all through that time period and beyond. My first enlistment was in

1953 while the shooting was still going on in Korea. I stayed with the Air Force in

military and civil service status until July 1990, a 37-year career.



The most revealing thing in the series to me was Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon

not telling the truth to the American public about how badly that war was going.



I also forgot about the anti-war riots that took place in this country. I did

extensive temporary duty travel as a military and civil service member during

that time frame. I never did encounter an anti-war demonstration.



I’m an old guy now, but I still love history.



Donald Fritz, Knoxville

