Timing of Gun Walk was in very poor taste

Another day, another pro-gun article in the Enquirer. At least the reporter, Brenna R. Kelly, noted that "Not all residents" of Northside welcomed Hyde Park hairdresser Vernon Ferrier and his "gun walk" of armed pedestrians on Sunday ["Armed activists say guns protect," Sept. 29]. Ferrier was one of the plaintiffs to challenge the state's concealed carry law, which was upheld by the Supreme Court last week.

In reality, I'd say that most residents of Northside, myself among them, were appalled that Ferrier would invite people with guns to walk through a family neighborhood less than a week after a little boy was shot and killed by a friend just up the road in Mount Airy.

There were lots of good, positive things were going on in Northside this weekend (the St. Boniface Oktoberfest, the Porch Tour). How sad that Ferrier chose to focus on bringing something divisive into our community. And how sad that the Enquirer keeps giving him so much publicity.

Mary T. Helmes, Northside

Gun-walk coverage left some things out

As a resident of Northside and one of the protesters demonstrating against Vernon Ferrier's "Gun Walk," I was both pleased and upset at the way the afternoon played out ["Armed activists say guns protect," Sept. 29]. First, I was pleased by the behavior of most of the demonstrators on both sides of the issue. The shouting and arguing that usually takes place at heated demonstrations like this was replaced by spirited and intelligent political discussion. Of course, there was some inappropriate behavior, and not just from the counter march.

I was told a few times that I must not care if I was robbed or my family raped and murdered, since I don't like guns.

Nicholas Nienaber, Northside