There is no short answer to the question — one which is asked by almost every gun control advocate in the U.S.

The people of "Peeples" make a better impression than most collections of oddballs in the weary mold of comedies centered on meeting the prospective in-laws.

Having observed the failure of our education system by dumbing-down our children for the past 50 years, concern has to be expressed about the “new” Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI).

Desert Vista keeps churning out college athletes as 11 students were recently honored for the spring signing day session.

The gentleman produced a well-written, cogent commentary (“Can anyone seriously argue that the Iraq War was truly justified?” AFN, March 27) on the wisdom of the Iraq War. However, isn’t the Iraq War old news? Unless, perhaps, one wants to review the Iraqi constitution, which is a perfect example of a theocratic state. That constitution specifically says Islam is the national religion. Somewhat contrary to our Constitution, which supports religious freedom. How is it possible to have a free democracy when the government tells you who to worship as your spiritual savior?

As we survey the panoply of absurd ideas our legislators, both state and national, face from special interest groups these days, we have to wonder what has become of that rare commodity: common sense.

In an unofficial warm-up prior to Phoenix FC’s home opener, the professional soccer players helped assist 140 fourth- and fifth-grade girls from seven elementary schools at skills stations at a Girls Soccer Extravaganza hosted on March 27.

After attending a political meeting the other night, I’m convinced some people have forgotten what our great nation is all about. Have we forgotten “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness?” Once upon a time, those God-given rights were the reality of life for this free nation.

I have read so many good books lately I couldn’t decide which one to review. It was a toss up between “The Obituary Writer,” by Ann Hood and “The Secret Keeper,” by Kate Norton (I don’t know about you but any title that contains the word “secret” draws me like a magnet — maybe it was that early Nancy Drew conditioning).

I, for one, appreciate the guest commentaries that the AFN has published written by Ahwatukee Foothills resident Don Kennedy. He has a love for our country and a good understanding of history and of our Constitution. When we forget history and our Constitution, we lose our liberties. Some people can see it happening before others, and I believe Mr. Kennedy is one of those precious visionary individuals. He loves our country. How can he not speak up?

Don Kennedy’s inane rantings (“A nation divided,” AFN, March 3) contain one notably provocative (but slovenly stated) claim: “The Judeo-Christian ethic is being persecuted more than it was since the time of Christ.” Is Kennedy referring to the Roman practice of feeding Christians to the lions?

I’m tired of reading Don Kennedy’s guest commentaries (“A nation divided,” AFN, March 3) where he rails against “socialism or communism, plus all of the misery which goes with collectivism.” I’m frankly unsure who he is speaking about but those three terms he bandies about are not at all similar and have widely divergent connotations. I’m not sure he fully understands the difference, or perhaps he just doesn’t care. Scare tactics.

The tale of two Americas. We have the America which is comfortable with the collective government control of production through socialism or communism, plus all of the misery which goes with collectivism. On the other hand, we have the America which wants liberty for the individual to control the means of production and all of the benefits which derive from the spirit of the free man.

Judged by his charge that gun-control legislation is Communist-inspired (“When the Communist Party USA cheers..., AFN, Feb. 8), Don Kennedy doesn’t realize that Sen. Joe McCarthy’s anti-Communist racket was rejected nearly 60 years ago, when the Senate censured that pathological liar and sent him to an alcoholic grave at age 46.

To Mr. Don Kennedy and your Communist Party USA rants (“When the Communist Party USA cheers..., AFN, Feb. 8): Throughout your entire word salad about the so-called Communist machine at work to take our guns away, you never once mentioned the murders of the 26 people in Newtown, Conn. The 20 children who were gunned down; some of them hit multiple times.

It's a Saturday afternoon, and a multitude of fans – 25,000 total throughout a day defined by a peek-a-boo sun – meander underneath Chase Field's retractable roof for the annual D-Backs annual FanFest. The day is a prelude to the upcoming season – an opportunity for the Diamondback faithful to snag a few autographs, take a few cuts against a wiffleball-lobbing Wade Miley and, most importantly, bask in the glow of the lovely optimism that comes before the realities of a 162-game season commence.

The Desert Vista girls basketball team clearly got the funk out of its system.

Folks, we have a really serious problem. The Communist Party USA heartily supports Obama’s gun control plans.

I recently read an article online about what you need to “teach your children” to survive as adults. Normally, these kinds of articles don’t interest me. I’m not the kind of mom who follows what the experts have to say about raising my boys, and since each child is an individual I don’t know how any one way is the perfect way to raise a child.

Everyday after classes are dismissed at Desert Vista High School, engineering and robotics students stick around campus to test, build and design their robots.

I was struck by something while watching the recent swearing in ceremony in Washington. I caught a glimpse of Bill Clinton (just Bill, no Hillary in sight — although I am sure she was with him somewhere) sitting two or three rows back from where the action was happening.