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It's always hard to do good journalism, but it's especially complicated in the face of colossal stupidity. Consider this complaint about gun-control legislation from Republican Sen. Justin Eichorn: "Today it's your guns, tomorrow it's your Zamboni or your gas stove or whatever is decided to be the demon of the day" ("Gun restrictions testing DFL unity," May 13).

Talk about a terrible dilemma for a reporter: There's almost an obligation to use the quote to let citizens know how zany are the ideas of some legislators, but there must also be at least a tinge of guilt at passing such nonsense off for what's supposed to be rational debate.

It's good (alarming, too) to know how Eichorn's mind works, but his argument can't be taken seriously until Zambonis cause anywhere near the carnage and heartbreak that guns do every single day.

Steve Schild, Winona, Minn.

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And good neighbor and hockey coach Michael Brasel was killed by a teenager who was trying to break into his wife's car. The teen has been arrested, is charged with murder and may be tried as an adult. Two more lives wasted, again because a handgun was readily available.

And we have continued mass shootings, many of which involve an AR-15 style weapon.

In response, too much of our media calls for passage of "red-flag laws," which would only stop a few mentally ill persons from keeping their guns, plus parental-responsibility laws and regulations requiring keeping guns in some sort of lockboxes. Such changes would have only marginal effect.

Instead, we should do what other advanced countries do: Allow people to own long rifles, with limited clip capacity, but outlaw handguns and semi-automatic weapons. (An exception could be made for those with a proper reason to keep a handgun.) Such a change would decrease the gun death rate dramatically.

David Sommer, Richfield

As Minnesota is apparently on the brink of two new gun-safety laws, some context to the glowing report provided by the Star Tribune Editorial Board is needed ("Gun reform comes to Minnesota at last," editorial, May 14).

Universal background checks (UBC) will be another step private-party sales must go through whether it's between neighbors or at a gun show between two private parties. Those sellers at shows who possess a Federal Firearms License will be unaffected because they already perform a background check via ATF Form 4473. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives data shows that private-party sales are negligible in the cause of preventing crimes with firearms. Yet someone who ignores the UBC will not be prosecuted because no one will know a sale was ever made. The buyer and seller simply exchange money, drugs or some item of agreed-upon value. Once again, the law-abiding citizen obeys the law and the criminal ignores it.

With all the fanfare by the Star Tribune and Sen. Ron Latz about the uniqueness of red-flag laws, they ought to read Minnesota Statute 253B.051 (Emergency Admission) in its entirety. They would discover that a provision for an "emergency hold" is already codified. Anyone who exhibits unreasonable, threatening or suicidal behavior can be reported by family members, the public, law enforcement officers and health care professionals. Upon further evaluation with the party of interest, a police officer or health care worker can place a 72-hour hold on a person for an emergency psychological/medical evaluation. A further assessment can result in treatment ordered by the court either as an in-house or outpatient status. In addition, and most importantly, firearms in the residence of the concerned party can be ordered seized by the court. Now isn't that the intent of a red-flag law? To minimize the risk to the principle person and others? Maybe legislators should read existing law, amend it as needed, before creating something new? Education seems to be a better focus as people are made aware and are taught how to access needed services.

So go ahead, Minnesota Democrats, pass your UBC and red-flag laws. But realize that the former will have negligible results while the latter is already state law. Understand the real deterrence for gun-related incidents stem from a shortage of police officers and a judicial system unwilling to hold the perpetrator accountable. Law-abiding Minnesotans should realize that given the opportunity, Democrats will be back to create more gun laws until we realize that elections have consequences.

Joe Polunc, Waconia

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Rob Doar, lobbyist for the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, showed the real hand of his organization when in his statement about the state Senate's planned vote on the public safety bill, he asked the question: "Are [DFL Sens. Grant Hauschild of Hermantown, Rob Kupec of Moorhead and Judy Seeberger of Afton] willing to sacrifice their legislative careers on the altar of the Metro-centric DFL agenda, or will they uphold the independent spirit pledged to constituents?" Since the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus does not have research and poll numbers to back up its positions on gun violence and public safety, it is clear from Doar's question that his organization needs to use blatant political threats to influence legislators' votes. By voting in favor of the public safety bill, these senators did in fact "uphold the independent spirit pledged to constituents." These senators as well as the 31 other DFL senators who voted in favor of this bill listened to their constituents and did their homework. They also understood that gun violence and crime is not a metro-vs.-greater-Minnesota issue, as Doar suggested. The gun suicide rate in greater Minnesota is twice as high as in the metro area. Additionally, of the 10 counties with the highest rates of violent crime in 2021, just two are located in the Twin Cities metro area.

Recent nonpartisan statewide polls show that a majority of Minnesotans (from both urban and rural and both parties) support expanded background checks and "red-flag" (extreme risk protection orders) laws, which are included in the public safety bill. When all 33 GOP state senators vote against the public safety bill, exactly who is it who isn't upholding the "independent spirit pledged to constituents"?

Lisa Weisman, Minneapolis

The front-page article in the May 13 Star Tribune, "Midlife costly for women's earnings" reported that 85% of women in the 4,000-woman Mayo study did not report missed work due to menopausal symptoms. About 99% of women did not quit or get laid off due to their menopausal symptoms. The study also did not report, or perhaps investigate, how many women had mild menopausal symptoms for a year or two after menopause and then no symptoms for the next 20 years. This study is going to be used by corporate America to discriminate against more than half the population, and ageism is hard enough to prove in a court of law as it is.