Editor:

A heartfelt "attaboy!" to Mr. Bennett in his article about his own gun collection ("Confessions of a [Liberal] Assault Weapon Owner," Jan. 10).  Whatever disagreement I might have had with his critique of Les Miserables, I bow to his open-heartedness in his letter. And, it did, indeed, sound like a confession.

Unfortunately, for most of the world, gun ownership is not reflective of John Bennett. I hope that many issues will be addressed in the aftermath of the Connecticut massacre: mental health funding, school social structures and behaviors and the sale of arms. It is absurd that one can order assault weapons without recrimination on the web. We now pay sales tax if we live in California -- how about taxing, heavily, with ID and clearance required, any weapons bought online by anyone in the United States?

Ginni Hassrick, Bayside