Posted on 03/22/2005 10:53:46 AM PST by Dan from Michigan
Minnesota School Massacre Latest Example of the Human Toll of America's Love Affair with Guns
Shooter's Willingness to Commit Suicide Demonstrates Futility of Deterrence, Restricting Access to Firearms is the Only Way to Prevent Future Tragedies
Washington, D.C.—Yesterday's mass shooting at a Minnesota high school in which a lone shooter killed nine and wounded more than a dozen before taking his own life was the worst school shooting since the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School, where two students killed 13 and wounded another 23 before taking their own lives.
In the wake of this most recent shooting, Kristen Rand, legislative director for the Violence Policy Center (VPC) states, "America must face the fact that we have a love affair with guns that exacts a tremendous and unacceptable cost in human lives lost. Mass shootings like that at Red Lake High School are the future for America's children until policymakers decide it's time to enact real gun control. Other countries have found the solution to mass shootings, and it consists of severe restrictions on the availability of specific classes of firearms, such as handguns and assault weapons."
Noting that, as was the case at Columbine, the Minnesota high school shooter was prepared to die in order to perpetrate the shooting, Rand adds, "There is simply no way the criminal justice system or a series of security measures—such as the guard and metal detectors present at Red Lake High School—can prevent a shooter determined to kill and willing to die."
The shooting at Red Lake High School is the latest mass murder-suicide to occur in the United States and follows, by less than two weeks, a murder-suicide at a Wisconsin hotel that resulted in eight dead. These shootings, like the vast majority of such incidents, were perpetrated with a gun. A study conducted by the VPC in 2002 found that guns were used in 95 percent of all murder-suicides and estimated that at least 1,300 lives are lost each year to murder-suicide. (For a copy of the study, American Roulette: The Untold Story of Murder-Suicide in the United States, as well as gun violence information for Minnesota, please see www.vpc.org).
As long as those individuals and organizations, in support of the Second Amendment, do not address the problem of mentally ill minors and adults shooting up the place, confiscation will be the ultimate result.
NO!
I do think it is coincidental with the elimination of state and federal mental hospitals that began in the early 60's. Of all the societal occurrences in the last 40 years, the elimination of these hospitals and the increase in domestic gun violence correlate. Why aren't there any studies to prove it? There are! But these studies are done by the same profession that wanted to treat the dangerously ill as out-patients instead of in-patients. The most famous victim of this policy was also one of its proponents, JFK.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
Do you believe in the constitution?
And, so? I thought you knew that some states prohibit the mentally afflicted from voting. I guess you didn't!
When I entered the U.S.Army in 1967, I swore to defend and protect the Constitution from her enemies. I don't remember recanting!
More likely the result of the culture of death.
"America must face the fact that we have a love affair with guns that exacts a tremendous and unacceptable cost in human lives lost."
What are the odds on being ratioal about this?
The text and meaning of the 2nd amendment is crystal clear despite the desire to muddle the waters. If you support the constitution then the term "gun nut" shouldn't be bandied about...and I still don't understand your comment concerning the NRA or GOA.
Our 'love affair with the gun' saves approx. 290 million American lives each year!
Of course, the violence in the media, video games, movies, rap music, etc. had nothing to do with it.
And the implication of your; "Do you believe in the Constitution", was the entire reason for your previous post. It was an accusation, not a question deserving my considered answer. If you would have left that off, I would be willing to entertain your ignorance.
This gun nut thinks that requiring someone to collaborate with mental health organizations to preserve their rights is a stupid idea....but oh so progressive and enlightened.
People went on shooting sprees before there was modern media, video games, movies, rap music, etc. Only the shooter is responsible for the shooting.
You can ridicule this tactic all you want, but when the government comes to confiscate your guns because of the crazies, you can refer to yourself as "unarmed".
The moment I saw this on Minnesota TV I said "How long before the anti-gun wackos start bleeting about gun control."
I have faith that there is still enough people left in this country that think clearly enough to preserve my rights...and yours rather than dream up ways to negotiate them away.
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