Posted on 02/19/2008 8:48:23 AM PST by kiriath_jearim
The front page news of young college students being shot and murdered on campuses across the nation has become sickeningly familiar. The latest mass murder at Northern Illinois University took five students, plus the shooter, most of whom were under the age of 21. We all agree that the senseless slaughter of young people at school needs to stop. On the other hand, the question of how to stop it and why it happens in the first place has seen less collectivity. Nevertheless, it's clear this nation needs to make changes in firearm regulation to try and curb these events that, for the most part, are particular to the United States.
California recently passed legislation that requires all guns manufactured after 2010 to contain a code or imprint that would trace bullets fired back to the gun, the owner and the dealer. This smart gun legislation could gain bipartisan support if taken to the federal level. Although this sort of legislation is what we need in order to hold gun owners and dealers accountable, states and the federal government need to continue critically examining American's right to carry concealed weapons.
Gun lobbyists have used these sorts of tragedies before to push for a loosening of concealed weapons regulation. They assert that an armed citizen is a protected citizen. These events take place in a matter of seconds, and it would be extremely unlikely that an ordinary citizen not sufficiently trained to handle these situations would be able to effectively take down an enraged attacker.
The prevalence of guns in our society has generated a "fight fire with fire" mentality. The need to carry a concealed weapon is because others too can carry a weapon, if another person might have a gun, you'd better be prepared to protect yourself with yours.
In order to reduce firearm circulation, our country needs to reexamine the protection of concealed weapons, like D.C has done, and hopefully find that personal handguns only exacerbate the problem of gun violence.
Tragedies like the one at Northern Illinois University can serve to shake up and put pressure on lawmakers to make changes in the system. Smart firearm legislation, founded in fact not on old traditions, is needed to curb gun violence and death that is all too common.
Fewer liberals, less idiots.
Every single high school and university shooting was a, ready for this,
a GUN FREE ZONE?
Why is it so terrible for people to want to defend themselves from these nut cases?
Every single high school and university shooting was a, ready for this,
a GUN FREE ZONE?
Why is it so terrible for people to want to defend themselves from these nut cases?
God forbid we hold THE CRIMINAL accountable.
“like D.C has done”
There’s a shining example.....
Direct from a UN spokesman?
Dial 911 and die.
A lot more kids under 21 die from alcohol related traffic accidents every year than from guns. Outlaw cars or let’s have prohibition again. I could weather those restrictions better than disarming me and opening me and my family to criminals and an oppressive government.
When are these people going to call for the ellimination of alcohol or is it only gun deaths they are concerned about.
This is a spoof piece, no?
Sad to say, many many gun control laws have been passed.
That dude was in violation of numerous laws before he even fired a shot.
The lack of respect for law and order is part of why these types of shootings can happen also. The criminals don’t care about the laws which are alleged to outlaw such tragedies. So then what does society do with people who don’t obey the gun laws in the first place, and are determined to perpetrate such tragedy?
Is there even one sentence here that addresses a lone nutcase with a shotgun?
>>>>>>”it would be extremely unlikely that an ordinary citizen not sufficiently trained to handle these situations would be able to effectively take down an enraged attacker.”
The NRA Rifleman publishes half-a-dozen such stories every month, usually excerpted from local newspaper accounts.
Yeah, Government has be dandy controlling drugs and our boarders. They would be swell at keeping ALL the guns out of this country! Right?
“Although this sort of legislation is what we need in order to hold gun owners and dealers accountable, “
The police and government must be held accountable, too. In each case where the government did not protect a citizen, those responsible must be fined heavily, and if needed, incarcerated. Why was there no SWAT team in that lecture hall? Criminal negligence on the part of police and elected officials, and the Board of Regents of the school.
Hope is all good and well but thats not what the facts say
These events take place in a matter of seconds, and it would be extremely unlikely that an ordinary citizen not sufficiently trained to handle these situations would be able to effectively take down an enraged attacker.
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