The leaves are just starting to change colors here in West Virginia, thanks to cool nights after warm days.

Some other local scenes are not so benign.

We drive by these gun shops here in Berkeley Springs every day. Not so long ago, my son was on duty at the front desk of the hotel where he works when shots rang out. He rushed outside to find a man and wife dead in a murder-suicide.

It's very hard at this point, especially under a Republican president, to try to reduce gun violence in this country, mainly because of the so-called "right to bear arms," a slogan long promoted by the NRA. That "right" is usually advocated in terms of self-defense, but a weapon useful for defense can also be used for offense. Nor is hunting a real justification any more, since why should humans still be shooting wild animals? We don't need them for food; is it just to mount a taxidermy head above the fireplace?

Other developed countries have fewer problems with regard to firearms because of much better controls. Some European countries have shooting ranges where gun enthusiasts can fire at targets to their hearts' content, then just leave the gun behind in storage there.

A public figure like Charlie Kirk, shot and killed at age 31 at a Utah college event, or anyone else appearing before a live crowd, shouldn't have to risk their life as happens too often in our country. Remember how close a shooter came to Donald Trump, barely grazing his ear? Of course. both Charlie Kirk and Donald Trump would probably be described as outspoken "gun rights" supporters.

Charlie Kirk had been speaking just before being shot.

These rather fuzzy photos showed that the Kirk shooter was a young white male, a common demographic among shooters.

Charlie Kirk shooting suspect identified as Tyler Robinson, 22, after family members turned him in to police

Both the president and vice president have announced plans to attend Charlie Kirk's funeral. Now there are also calls for the death penalty for the shooter; my son agrees. It's hard for me to argue against the death penalty in this case.

Authorities say a student is dead after shooting 2 peers and then himself at Colorado high school

Has the Kirk shooting now incentivized others?

Unless we all become hermits hiding away in caves, no American is safe from being shot. Firearms buy-backs and tossing guns into the ocean can be helpful but are not enough. Having fewer guns in circulation greatly reduces gun deaths, So fewer guns must be produced and then sold to begin with, despite the NRA's promotional propaganda. Having a gun in the home is not protective, but actually is associated with increased risks of injury or death to all the inhabitants. Family members may be shot in a moment of passion or when a curious child finds a hidden firearm. My own son was shot in the foot by a bedside gun dropped by another boy who'd found it in bedside drawer. Fortunately my then-11-year-old son was not killed, but his foot injury has been bothersome throughout his life.

Why do counterpart countries have have only a fraction of our gun deaths and injuries? Not because they have no hotheads, but because ordinary people don't have such easy access to guns. The "right to bear arms" in the US had originally referred to volunteer militias whose firearms were kept safely locked up until needed. The Heller decision considerably expanded that right in 2008. Even if "to bear arms" might be considered a "right," the definition of that right has been expanded and curbed over the years and could still change again, with no consensus in the US about what might constitute reasonable controls on gun ownership.

According to Google, "the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution establishes the right to keep and bear arms, protecting an individual's right to possess firearms, particularly for lawful purposes like self-defense in the home. This interpretation was solidified by the Supreme Court in District of Columbia v. Heller (2008)."

Trump offered to let detained Korean workers stay in US, but almost all heading home | Reuters https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/trump-offered-let-detained-korean-workers-stay-us-almost-all-heading-home-2025-09-11/

Quite understandably, these workers no longer want to be here. The raid has certainly not helped enhance US/South Korean relations.

Americans uneasy at Trump's moves to expand presidential power, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds

Trump has never been a popular president and citizen approval has been falling steadily ever since he took office in January.

Last updated on September 12th 2025

One of President Donald Trump’s most recent threats is taking away the citizenship of people he opposes. This has been one of Trump’s most repeated public warnings against political enemies. Former ally Elon Musk and New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, both naturalized U.S. citizens, have been objects of this threat. And the latest target is his longtime foe Rosie O'Donnell. He mde this threat in a Truth Social post.

Reuters, Exclusive: Trump administration plans push at UN to restrict global asylum rights

Few other UN members are likely to go along with Mr. Trump's plans. Trump is becoming increasingly unpopular in the US and more so around the world.

Wash. Post, Bolsonaro sentenced to over 27 years in prison for coup plot in Brazil

Probably Trump's strong advocacy for him actually hurt Bolsonaro's prospects; it certainly didn't help.

And now onto Honduras----

These 4 Honduran sisters are now attending an International Health Services medical brigade, where I have often volunteered as an interpreter and helper. I wish I had the strength to go back there now, but I'm not sure that I still could do a proper job. At age 87 and not so agile any more for climbing out of the back of a pickup or walking along uneven terrain, I wouldn't want to end up becoming more of a burden than a help.