Monday, April 16, 2007

Virginia Tech

Shocking news from Virginia Tech today. I am left wondering what it will take to finally convince lawmakers to make some serious changes to gun control legislation. It stands to reason that if you make the acquisition of guns far more difficult, there will be less violent crime and, hopefully, fewer incidents like this. I strongly believe that the right to keep and bear arms should not be entrenched in the US - or any other - Constitution.

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5 comments:

running42k said...

I agree with need for gun control. I dealt with this subject one time on my blog and ben had a great idea, charge outrageous prices for bullets. Also why do we need semi-automatic weapons. If you had the old muskets you sure as hell couldn't kill 31 people.

Problem is it is a huge shift in thinking down south to get those changes in. Plus the NRA is a very powerful lobby.

tweetey30 said...

Those poor parents of the ones that were lost yesterday. This makes me not to want to send the girls to college some day. I mean I have a few years yet but still. Whats it going to be like in 12 years or so. K is only six but still. Take your time with moderation. No hurry.

Kate said...

Gun control is a good thing. I live in Texas and you can get a license to carry a concealed handgun if you "need" one. Let me tell you, I never need to have any kind of firearm near me. People can argue a rifle or something like that for hunting, but semi-automatic weapons? Come on, people. That makes no sense.

I also feel for the parents and friends of those who lost their lives.

Kate said...

P.S. Teachers and students with concealed weapons is about the stupidest "solution" to a mentally ill (IMHO) person coming in and shooting people. What are the chances that something like that will ever happen? Slim at best. What are the chances that someone will get angry and pull out the weapon they carry for protection since it's there? Much higher, right?

I remember the gang-awareness presentation I went to my first year teaching in the ghetto. The presenter said that we just have to know that there are guns at school and in our classrooms everyday, period. Reassuring, let me tell you, and no, there are no metal detectors. I had an incident where one of those alleged guns actually was in my classroom and we knew about it. It wasn't loaded and the kid was just showing it off, but I think that if a kid did have a gun and s/he knew I was armed, there would be a much different dynamic. Rather than being afraid of me, I would think the student would think of me as a challenge. Also, your unarmed science teacher is a human you know, whereas once you pull out a gun you become a faceless authority figure. And that's what I think most about guns-- they dehumanize us.

zydeco fish said...

Kate - Yes I agree. I have already heard people claiming that if these students had been armed, the y could have protected themselves. it's such a ridiculous argument.