Why not blame the gun control lobby for yesterday's atrocity?

Question

In the aftermath of tragedy, small minded people always try to allocate blame. I suppose it’s part of the healing process. As a rationally minded individual, I generally tend to blame the person responsible. In the case of yesterday’s atrocity, that person was the murderer. If, however, we MUST direct blame to a certain group, then I propose the Gun Control Lobby.

By restricting guns all across America, they’ve turned Americans into herds of defenseless victims like sheep to the slaughter. I'm a combat veteran, a taxpaying citizen, and I have a concealed carry permit. If more people with concealed carry permits were at VA Tech yesterday, much of the tragedy could have been averted. Alas, even people with permits can’t legally carry on a college campus. Thus, only criminals (i.e. Cho Seung-Hui) will have guns. We’ve all head the “if you outlaw guns, only outlaws will have guns” cliché. In this instance, I think the proof is in the pudding. Any thoughts?

Answer 1

Yes, it would.

People see things like this happen and think that it would not if no one had guns. That is entirely unrealistic as they do exist in this world and however much wishing you do, they will always exist. The problem with gun laws is that the reason governments make gun laws is to keep guns from falling into the wrong people's hands, criminals. The problem with this logic is obvious, why would a criminal not get a hold of a gun because of a law? Wouldn't he just break the law and obtain guns anyway? Of course he would. The problem with gun laws is they are meant to keep guns out of the hands of people that do not follow laws. They only effectively keep guns out of the hands of law-abiding citizens.

It is actually a proven fact that banning guns in general actually INCREASES crime in a country, Britain and Australia. Banning guns only takes them away from the people we want to actually have. A criminal fears private citizens with guns the most. A cop will not shoot them, but a private citizen will. Taking guns away from people and making them rely on police leads to things like VA TECH. With question of police abuse aside, police cannot always be there and are 10 minutes away even if you do have a cell phone. 21 people can die in 10 minutes, in 10 seconds, to 1 gunman. Had someone in the class been allowed to conceal and carry, no one would have been hurt. The government wants to take away guns, but cannot possibly replace the safety that they provide.

If everyone was required to own and know how to use a gun, things like this would be occurrences of the past. Those that want to say everyone owning guns would result in mass shootouts; I merely have to point to history... or to Texas. Everyone owns guns and somehow society manages to continue without mass shootouts. This is a decent question for everyone to ponder and think about what I have said. Do not just dismiss it as some crazy gun-toting NRA member...

Answer 2

The post, as a whole is overly simplistic, but a couple points are salient and very true:

"small minded people always try to allocate blame"

"If, however, we MUST direct blame to a certain group, then I propose the Gun Control Lobby."

Not that the gun control advocates are to blame, but you are small-minded for wanting to go there, phony disclaimers to the contrary not withstanding.

Here's the thing - to point out that someone is a criminal after committing a criminal act is syllogistic. He wasn't a criminal beforehand, and the pro-gun lobby has blocked every attempt to make it harder for guns to be obtained by either criminals or irresponsible owners.

This defies a short pat answer, but this wasn't committed because guns are too hard to find or carry. If you think the answer is having even more people, including many more of questionable character or stability carrying guns, you need to think this through more carefully.

Answer 3

Why blame anyone, besides the shooter? He alone was responsible.
If we have to place blame, why don't we place the blame on our own society. We are afterall, the society that thinks all kids should go to college, even though 2/3 of them have no business in a system of higher education, when they barely made it through the system of basic education.
WHy not blame our open door policy, letting people from all over the world come in here to go to school, work, tourist. We don't need them, and most of the other countries out there hate us anyway, so why let them in?
How about if don't play the blame game, and just accept it for what it is, a lone gunman gone crazy?

If the government outlaws gus, then only the government will have guns.
With all of you people out there who think that Bush did 9/11, how could you feel good about giving up your guns?

Answer 4

i'm no longer a gun proprietor, nor do I truly have the want or want for one. yet I do rejoice with that I truly have the right could i elect to. If my life or that of my little ones replaced into in threat, i ought to luckily %. up a gun and get rid of the precedence. i do no longer trust that by technique of banning guns from criminal regulation abiding voters, is or will ever be the answer. no individual outlaws autos, alcohol, or foodstuff and they reason my deaths in accordance to year. Airplanes were used as a device to kill, yet we may be able to nevertheless fly. Knives kill human beings yet they're in each kitchen contained in the global. i imagine with the intention to quit the violence we ought to objective unlawful gun sales/possession. Up the punishments. u . s . a . needs to quit slapping human beings on the wrist and patting them on the top.

Answer 5

The last instance in Salt Lake City, A Bosnian Muslim who intended harm was stopped by a man with a concealed handgun. Good men only fail to act when they are left to be indifferent to the acts of bad men! I for one hope I never find myself hiding in a corner due to some hand gun restriction!

Answer 6

you want stop people to kill people in America?
you need to change the America people mentality
make them have more respect for life and teach them
what love it means!!
cause the current status quo is uncivilized mentality
so somebody need to teach them to change that
into a civilized mentality

in poor words
change people kill people to people love people
I already know for many Americans this sound gay or weak
because for them is more important to show you
the muscle power and if you don't have it be happy don't worry
because you can buy a big gun!!!
yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh uh uh uh uh

if more people carry a gun in VA tech body count
it would be more higher

if more people carry a gun we will look like barbarians
not a modern civilization

if more people carry a gun that is mean we are afraid
to live together and where is the love for your land
or for your people? by carry a gun??
come on give me a freaking break!!!

what is going to happen if for some reason
I try to give you a punch your face?
are you going to shoot me in the head?

then you going to claim that is your civilian right?
hello????????????

Answer 7

Never make a decision based on emotion...yesterday's tragedy should not be used today for political gain. Now is the time for mourning and reflection. Opportunist should hold off a second to further your agenda...both sides.

Answer 8

ohhhh that was a low blow, but you do make a valid point in my opinion.

but let me ask you, if that were true (and dont take for granted that i am not a gun control supporter) should students take weapons to class, where they are only have the intention to learn and not assume that they might be shot at one day? there are specific areas that need to be addressed

Answer 9

I agree with all that you wrote. However, by law, no weapons are permitted on school campuses except for special circumstances (ROTC, security, etc.) Even if more people were allowed to carry, they wouldn't have been carrying on school grounds - not legally anyway.

Answer 10

It is truly upsetting to read this sort of barbaric lack of sensitivity and total absence of logic.

The people, the American public, was never meant to be an armed populace, with free access to devastating fire-arms. Semi-automatics, rifles, things that could bring down elephants, much less end a human life.

The police and government security forces are meant to safeguard the lives of its citizens, having an armed populace only undermines their effectiveness. They are by no means perfect, but we entrust them with this task as we hope to live in a peaceful and civil society.

Armies are for fighting, police are for law-enforcement. Citizens are trained for neither.

This was an institution of HIGHER LEARNING, not a maximum security compound. Do you actually want 18 year-old engineering students with enough firepower to kill a horse? are you actually that dim-witted?

There are root causes for this violence, this goes without saying. But to actually argue that we would all be safer if gun control were even less strict? so that any emotionally unstable teenager can waltz into Wal-Mart and buy a gun to massacre others? Have you no sense at all?

This sickens me.