As ad revenue, the lifeblood of newspapers, continues to shrink, it is quite understandable that no ads promoting legal businesses would be rejected. However, promoting the marketing of lethal weapons in a state where gun deaths by suicide, homocide, police shootings and accidents is an almost daily occurence is irresponsible.
I’m referring to the ad in a recent Salt Lake Tribune promoting the Crossroads of the West Gun Show. The ad features an image of an assault weapon — a chilling reminder of the carnage at the Las Vegas concert shooting and other mass shootings. Of course, advertising and selling guns is totally legal in Utah and most gun owners are very law-abiding citizens who use their guns quite safely in hunting, target practicing or to simply to add to the gun collections.
Likewise, most medically prescribed drugs are harmless if taken as prescribed, but drugs can also lead to suicide, homocide or accidental deaths. Would The Tribune run ads for drug shows?
Ted Ottinger, Taylorsville
from The Salt Lake Tribune https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/letters/2020/10/04/letter-why-promote-guns/
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