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Posted on 04/17/2007 4:53:38 PM PDT by DeaconBenjamin2
Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) has a simple solution to future shooting massacres such as the one that ripped apart Virginia Tech university Monday: more guns.
"People are a little more cautious if somebody might have a gun there," the GOP presidential candidate told Politico reporters Tuesday. "A concealed gun carried by a responsible person -- that might have ended the problem that they had at Virginia Tech with one person being killed or two people being killed."
Paul, 71, is the kind of lawmaker, and presidential candidate, gun control advocates love to hate at moments like this. And, based on public opinion polls and reader feedback at Politico.com, he's far from alone.
Echoing the views of many Americans, he sees calls for restriction on guns as an affront to freedom. The libertarian-minded Texan is one of the most outspoken defenders of gun rights in Congress. Since the obstetrician was first elected to Congress in 1976, he has never voted for a bill restricting gun ownership. And he said the tragedy in Blacksburg, Va., could have been prevented if the school allowed students and professors to carry concealed weapons on campus.
Paul, who ran for the Libertarian presidential nomination in 1988, is well known on Capitol Hill for his outspoken, maverick positions. He opposed authorizing federal funding to victims of Hurricane Katrina. He wants to abolish the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Department of Education. He has called for a return to the gold standard. He argues that tighter gun control laws would have no impact on gun crime.
"It's the lack of access to law-abiding citizens to have guns in many places that increases our crime rate," he said. "We just can't prevent every tragedy of a maniac. So to pretend this happened because of lack of laws would be the wrong thing to assume."
Despite his pro-gun rhetoric, Paul also often finds himself voting with Democrats, particularly in the area of civil liberties. He was one of only three Republican lawmakers to vote against the USA Patriot Act in 2001. He expressed concern that the Virginia Tech shootings would be exploited to crack down on civil liberties.
"I know there will be a call for, 'Boy, we've got to take hold of every single gun and register the gun.' It's sort of like after 9/11, we had to worry about terrorists, but what we've done is register every American," he said. "With national ID cards, inspection and loss of our liberties, warrantless searches, we've attacked law-abiding citizens. So, no, I don't think we need more gun control for law-abiding citizens."
Paul suggested that the Sept. 11 attacks could have been avoided if the pilots on the hijacked airliners had been armed. "If terrorists knew that every pilot had a gun in the cockpit, they wouldn't have done it," he said. "They would have all been shot and wouldn't have accomplished their mission."
“And he said the tragedy in Blacksburg, Va., could have been prevented if the school allowed students and professors to carry concealed weapons on campus.”
Oh, it gets worse than that. Two years ago a VT student with a concealed handgun permit was disciplined for carrying a concealed handgun on campus. Since that time, the VT administration has done everything in it’s power to prevent students and faculty with CHP’s from carrying on campus, while advertising to the world that it was a Disarmed Victim Zone.....err Gun Free Zone.
More guns may reduce the incidence of shootings, but they will reduce the carnage associated with them.
“A lot of things would prevent such a massacre. Self-defense training, awareness training, concealed carry. That kid wouldn’t have been able to shoot up a room full of blackbelts or bubbas.”
You know, what you’re saying is absolutely true. It seems that a lot of our most highly educated people just can’t conceive of using (justifiable) violence in order to defend themselves.
Dr Paul, correct as usual
I am willing to bet even basic multi tools like a Leatherman were banned, just even having long range tasers with darts in a glass case in every classroom would have helped in hindsight.
“Liberty is not part of the socialist agenda — and they live in paranoia of the Second Amendment for the sole reason it was included in the Bill of RIghts. Screw the libs — they are tyrants, not patriots.”
AMEN!
Ron Paul has it right.
He has, and will continue to have, my support.
Ron Paul is generally seems idiotic, but I agree with him most assuredly on this issue.
On what other issues?
If all of Congress had Paul's wisdom, this nation would be much better off. There would be no poverty, no health-care "crisis", and no poverty programs trapping blacks into a vicious cycle. Paul is truly a throwback to the Founders.
bump
Ron Paul is exactly right. If those students had been armed, they would have been able to defend themselves.
Of course, a perfect strager commented to me today, that "they should take guns away from everybody." I thought later that the next time someone makes that comment, I am going to say, no everyone should make sure they have a gun. Then no one will even attempt such a thing to begin with.
“Paul is truly a throwback to the Founders”
I have a feeling that’s why he’s not so popular.
He does have it right.
He only appears “idiotic” if you look at him through the house of mirrors Congress has built around itself. If you look at him via the clear light of the Constitution, it’s the rest of them that look idiotic.
There would be "less" poverty. No society has ever totally eliminated poverty. However, our "poor" would be even better well off than they currently are and "making it rich" would be a hell of a lot easier.
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Yet another good reason to move to the Texas coast.
Darn those...
:)
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