Virginia Tech: Mourning, Prayers & Beyond
The following leader in The Economist is likely to raise the hackles (yet again) of the gun lobby in the US.
“In the aftermath of the massacre at Virginia Tech university on April 16th, as the nation mourned a fresh springtime crop of young lives cut short by a psychopath’s bullets, President George Bush and those vying for his job offered their prayers and condolences. They spoke eloquently of their shock and sadness and horror at the tragedy. The Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives called for a ‘moment of silence’. Only two candidates said anything about guns, and that was to support the right to have them.
“The Democrats have been the most disappointing, because until recently they had been the party of gun control…Mr Bush, however, has done active damage. On his watch the assault-weapons ban was allowed to lapse in 2004. New laws make it much harder to trace illegal weapons and require the destruction after 24 hours of information gathered during checks of would-be gun-buyers. The administration has also reopened debate on the second amendment, which enshrines the right to bear arms. Last month an appeals court in Washington, DC, overturned the capital’s prohibition on handguns, declaring that it violates the second amendment. The case will probably go to the newly conservative Supreme Court, which might end most state and local efforts at gun control…”
3 Responses to “Virginia Tech: Mourning, Prayers & Beyond”
SO MANY LIES, SO LITTLE TIME
The Aussies and the Brits, who have some of the strictest gun-control laws in the world, are having trouble keeping their citizens safe from violent crimes committed with guns.
The USA has a lot of guns, which is why gun toting criminals don’t pick on those citizens they think may shoot back.
If you think gun controls can prevent a madman like the Virginia Tech shooter from getting a gun, you are as crazy as he was.
They won’t pick up the gun issue now. Maybe in a few days somebody will “test the gun banning waters” with a statement. To do what really needs to be done, would require a very united legislature with lots of gonads.
However there are thousands of state, county, and, municipal laws and ordinances across the country that regulate, restrict or ban fire arms. I suspect there will be more.
One of the reasons the GOP made such big gains in 1994, winning back both houses of Congress was Democratic support for the assault weapons ban (which I feel is reasonable gun control). Like the Israeli lobby, the NRA is powerful and well-organized and well-funded. They will panic their members that Democrats want to take away all of their guns and deprive them of their second amendment rights. So, why should these candidates use the Va Tech incident to handicap their ’08 runs?