MAILBAG
From page 6
your individual view, so be it.
Let your readers determine
that for themselves.
Rudi Roelofse
By email
Firstly, I fail to see how my
comment in the July edition is
“derogatory”. Derogatory to
whom? Gun owners? Ag,
shame.
Secondly, judging by the
response purportedly from
smallholder readers to my
comment, and the widely-
SA Gun Owners Unite
held (but incorrect) belief that
smallholders are particular
targets for violent crime and
therefore need to be armed
to the hilt, comments on gun
ownership in the magazine
are hardly out of place.
Thirdly, as it happens, I do
not make use of an “armed”
security company.
Fourthly, were I personally to
support one or other position
on guns in South Africa it
a utopian pipe-dream.
And fifthly, the purpose in the
would most certainly be for a media on its NEWS pages is
to make facts known. The
gun-free society, and as I
purpose of COMMENT
founded and own the
pages, however, is to do
magazine you can take it as
exactly that: Make comments
read that a gun-free society
which hopefully shape
will be the view held by the
opinions, or which at least
magazine, certainly for as
long as I'm running it. Having encourage debate. The series
of diatribes unleashed by my
said that, I am under no
illusion that a gun-free society, July comment shows that I've
here or anywhere else for that done that rather successfully.
matter, is anything more than ~ Editor
OFFENSIVE COMMENTARY
From page 6
loaded his two revolvers,
three pistols and shotgun and
left them, round in the
chamber and hammer cocked
with the safety catch off. He
slept that night with the
firearms pointing in his
general direction and
surprisingly nothing happened. I suppose he may
have had non-homicidal
model firearms, or the moon
may have been in the
incorrect position. Perhaps
8
www.sasmallholder.co.za
only your firearms murder in
cold blood.
Humour aside, the commentary was ill conceived and
offensive and has no place in
a respectable magazine.
Thanks for the couple of
interesting articles.
I will in future look elsewhere.
Paul Greeff, By email
Refusing to read a magazine
that you find useful and
informative because you
disagree with a comment is
childish. ~ Editor