Updated Feb. 20th @ 3:00 pm.
Well, it has happened again - another college campus shooting. This time in Illinois with 15 victims according to a breaking news story. (More recent news has reported 6 deaths after campus rampage. You can watch a quick clip summarizing the tragedy here.)
It is time for this country to start talking sensibly about gun violence and gun control. The Brady Bill, which used to mandate a five day waiting period (so a background check could be done on purchasers) to buy a gun was allowed to expire. The gun debate in this country is moving us backward. In 2004, the assault weapons ban was allowed to expire, and the National Rifle Association and other gun enthusiasts continually work to block sensible gun control proposals by arguing that they are a violation of their constitutional rights.
It is time for a discussion about gun rights in this country in which both sides are willing to admit that gun violence is seriously out of control in many parts of the country. I believe that hunters and gun collectors can still enjoy their recreation and hobbies, while we make it harder for dangerous or unstable people to get guns.
The Second Amendment should not be seen as banning common sense gun control laws. The rights of free expression protected by the First Amendment are not absolute rights, and there are restrictions on what we can say or publish if the expression would cause a "clear and present danger". Our free expression can also be limited by reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions.
So why should the NRA oppose laws that could greatly benefit law enforcement and do more to keep guns out of the hands of people who are dangerous or unstable? Might it inconvenience some hunter that wants to go on a last minute hunting trip. Yup, but that is life. We all have to deal with certain restrictions. I don't hunt, but I do play the guitar. I can't turn my amplifier all the way up and practice with some buddies at two o'clock in the morning. We all have to deal with inconveniences, so why won't more politicians insist that gun owners understand that they live in a society in which we all have to give up a little freedom for the common good.
They mayor of Chicago is trying to do that, but few people think he will get much passed - and he lives in the state that just witnessed these shootings!
Not every tragedy can be prevented, and the shooter at the Northern Illinois University purchased his guns legally, but the incident is still a reminder that we can do a lot more to prevent gun violence.
People who love guns and people who want to stop senseless murders ought to be able to agree that some restrictions are entirely appropriate. (To watch a short news segment on the gun control, click here.)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
12 comments:
I wrote you a 10 minute long comment to find out that it deleted and im so mad that im not writing it again until tomorow. im not kidding it was about the 2nd ammendment i am so mad right now! APPARENTLY IT WAS CAUSE I WROTE THE COMMENT BEFORE I HAD AN ACCOUNT AND I TRIED MAKING AN ACCOUNT THEN IT DELETED MY OLD COMMENT :(((((((((
i agree with you. i think that there should for sure be some restrictions on guns. i think guns are dangerous and that they should only be owned for hunting. the murders need to stop, and in order to make that happen they need to enforce a new law for gun control.
Just checkin' to see if this works
Dear Ladeiesman217,
After deep thought i have decided to come in accord with your ideas that The NRA(that stands for National Rifle Association by the way) should just suck it up and face the fact that there are limitations on the rights citizens of the United States are entitled to. The idea to have a five day waiting period so that the backgrounds of potential buyers can be checked is a good idea in order to minimize the risk of putting weapons in the wrong hands. This waiting period would not necessarily take away sales it would just be a waiting period. Big sales or business deals would have to go through the same process and in those the same thing happens, the deals and plans are not finalized right away instead paperwork is looked over to make sure everything is in order and that there are no errors, and selling a gun to the wrong person would definately be an error. Besides end up getting a gun late it would be their own fault for being foolish procrastinating hooligans. There are other alternatives to buying real guns, such as laser tag, which would be both safer and still an absolute blast and it would give the opportunity for people to hone their shooting skills. Another alternative would be nerfs guns, some of the new ones are pretty sweet and yet again tons of fun. But if people are not satisfied with these options or just waiting then maybe they shouldn't buy guns at all because you wouldn't want to put a weapon in the hands of a angry impatient person, who knows what they'll do with it.
Love,
Harry P Ness, Ilene Wright, And Peremy Jatoc (really just jeremy patoc, you know your favorite student)
The NIU was a tragedy, yet Jack Thompson insist it was caused by violent video games. Seriously? What's the world coming to?
But The 2ed amendment is a complicated one. It doesn't say anything about who can own guns, it just says the people can own guns. I think when they made this amendment, they wanted the people to believe they have the right to bear arms against the British. It's peace time now soI don't think everyone should have a gun. Guns aren't needed in peace time. They're coming up with offensive but non-lethal ways to stop criminals. I honestly don't see how hunting a defenseless animal can be considered sport, or even a hobby. Now killing someone on equal terms, that's a sport. That takes skill. That is fun.
As for helping stop the problem, I don't think those who have mental instabilities shouldn't be allowed to have guns. Just like how handicapped people can park in the handicapped spot but people without cannot because not all people can handle a gun. A gun can save lives and take lives away, would you want your life to be in the hands of someone with mental instabilities? I know I wouldn't.
Kingsley Casayuran p4 TGS
Some interesting posts here. Jeremy (the "Ladies Man") makes some very original arguments against unabridged gun ownership. And Kingsley, I have to confess that I don't know who Jack Thompson is. Also, your making me a little scared, man! :)
lol i love you coraggio
I agree with everybody above except kingsley, i dont find killing humans a blast. I can see why the NRA would be hesitant to put on restrictions, in fear of losing business and media attention, but is that all really so important when compared to peoples lives?
You would think that after something like Columbine, or that shooting in wisconsin, and then virginia tech, the government would have put at least SOME limitations to who can stroll up and buy a weapon. Mental health problems are SO common in people, i'm not talking like autism, schitso, OCD, or downsyndrome, anything like that, i'm talking about major depression, bi-polar disorder, double personalities, those are the types of sicknessess that can really be dangerous when mixed with weaponry.
I find it absolutley repulsive that hunters, and members of the NRA think it is ridiculous when a suggestion of tightening rules on ownership of guns comes up. I agree that the hobby of collecting guns and hunting is totally cool, whatever floats your boat, but like you said, there are certain rules that apply to everything, and i think a lethal weapon should have rules that must be followed.
P.S. there's a really great/eerie movie called Elephant that is a fictonal account of what happened in columbine. It's amazing and fascinating, you should check it out
Id have to say that I agree with samantha... I mean how many times is the common good brought up in the governement when we are discussing our nation's issues on people dying from somthing that has a simple solution to it and if not simple then a solution. The Government does a lot of things in our country to help prevent the choas that continues throughout our country. To me, it personally just does not make sense for Gov to say all that and then not try and prevent the issue. Also, I found the fact that the man that was the shooter's gun was legal!!! That should just scare us all ten time more... I mean if his gun was legal and he got away with even attempting to shoot people outside of hunting or self defense, what on earth makes you think that we can even go out on a daily basis??? Honestly though I know WE don't live in th ghetto, but beleive it or not there are always those people that are struggling in the environment that they live in just because of the cimple fact of not feeling safe in your naughborhood. I mean people do not even go out at night because they are stuck with people buying guns illegally!!! "Clear or present danger... in the 2nd ammendment... well honestly that justs sounds so ignorant. Is what we are living in not clear or even visually seen through danger???? well that's what the whole gun situation brings to us.Fear. The people should always feel safe, and that is not what we are recieving in this moment. I agree that the hunters really like the whole hunting thing, but enough is enough, there is a certain point in which where we shall make sacrifices in the world, and this is one thing that they should just let go.
ps coraggio that anonymous on top of me is Hellen I accidently pressed that I don't know why..... but yes dont forget
so i agree that someone needs too put a stop too selling guns too crazy people who wanna go around and shoot everyone. when i watch the news every day there is atkeast one or more shootings in our city and state. and these are deadly shootings and most of them have no reason too even occur and if they do they still shouldnt be killed. i believe that people who are selling the guns should be at blame simply because they must be selling them too any joe who walks in the store to buy a gun and half the people who buy them probably dont know the definition of GUN itself. in my opinion there should be some laws set to prevent this whether it stops gun selling too the public all together or not it wouldnt hurt me and it would stop alot of murders.
Kyle Ehlers
p.5
i agree with you Mr. Coraggio. I believe that guns shouldn't be allowed and should be set at a higher standard in law,it is one of the issues that keep on popping up on the news. In order to fix that they need to enforce a new law for gun control like maggie said. Some people are going nuts in this world! When i found out that there was another shooting i was like "again!" Guns should be for hunting only, not for violence such as committing a crime. GUNS ARE JUST DANGEROUS PERIOD.
Post a Comment