There are some forms of blindness that no amount of common sense or illumination will overcome. From Reuters today:
Larry Pratt of Gun Owners of America said the shootings that left 33 people dead, including the assailant, at Virginia Tech on Monday showed gun bans are the problem, not the solution.
"Isn't it interesting that Utah and Oregon are the only two states that allow faculty to carry guns. And isn't it interesting that you haven't read about any school or university shootings in Utah and Oregon," Pratt said.
There are no words...
5 comments:
We should issue guns to everyone at birth. That would solve all the crime in our country.
I live in the midst of the folks who believe that more guns are the answer to violence. Needless to say, I don't believe that. I was on the campus two weeks ago, visiting with my child who is approaching college age, and it is so surreal to see the same beautiful campus on our news, all the tragedy and sadness spilling out of our televisions; knowing people who were there; knowing a young woman who was shot but thankfully survived; the horror and sadness that has gripped everyone in our community. I don't even live in Blacksburg, but many in our community are proud to call themselves "Hokies"; the sadness is almost too much to bear. Guns are so important to Virginians; our political signs read "Sportsmen for Kilgore" or whatever politician is promising to keep their guns in their cars and their homes- but the same laws that give them their hunting rifles gave that troubled soul his Glock. People kill...but it shouldn't be so easy for them to do so.
It's hard to imagine seeing a beautiful campus and then watching this on the news--and even knowing someone who's been shot.
There's definitely a different mindset--this time last week I was chatting with a dad from Virginia who'd accompanied one of the schools we were partnered with on our trip. Casual mention of guns he'd owned just came up naturally--not the norm from folks I know around here. I know his politics are different from mine because he told me what party he was actively working for in his community. His daughter told us of her concern that her boyfriend is plannning to enlist and with then end up in Iraq.
It's just all so hard to even grasp, but it makes you want to just hug your own kids all that much harder and keep them home until they're 30.
I saw that guy interviewed on Anderson Cooper 360 and thought it was so ridiculous.
He's not the first one to think Faculty should be given guns. I had someone say to me today, "teachers should all be issued guns." I'm a teacher. I don't want a frackin gun in my desk drawer. Sorry.
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