I guess that there isn't much I can say about Virginia Tech that hasn't already been blogged, written in an OpEd, or put on a newsite. Like a lot of people I was glued to coverage - mainly through the Internet. Between what happened at Virginia Tech and a thread about the struggles of ex-cons on chris uggen's blog (see 'keep hanging on'), it was a somber stretch this week.
One thing that I really don't understand in the aftermath of the shootings at VT are calls for the relaxation of gun laws. Is this really the best way to prevent incidents like this in the future? The logic behind it just seems so backwards. I understand that had more people had guns in the classrooms than it is possible that things would have turned out differently. But is it really plausible to try and prevent things like this by arming everybody? Would you really feel safer this way? More guns are not going to lead to fewer deaths. Imagine what would happen if every confrontation now had a lethal weapon involved.
It just doesn't seem like a logical response. In the end, there probably isn't a way to wipe out this problem completely. Even under stricter gun laws, a determined person would probably still be able to their hands on one. Even if we all make an effort to pay more attention to the warning signs, someone is still going to slip by. It could have just as easily have been Penn State, the University of Wyoming, a construction site up the Southfork, a business building, or a hospital. But that doesn't mean that we stick a handgun in our backpacks and leave the house in fear everyday. But it does mean that we can all think about ourselves a little less and others a little more. And we can start listening to Jimmy V and take time to laugh, think, and cry everyday.
And we remember that life is precious.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I'm with you, bro. Imagine if just one of the people in those classrooms had a concealed weapon. They pull out their gun and start shooting, the consequences probably would have been even worse. I hear people on the radio saying "I would have jumped on the guy and dealt with him." But nobody knows what they would actually do in a situation like that. There is no simple answer to solve these problems, but following Jimmy V's example is a good start.
Right on, Cody. Maybe there's not much we can do. But being a little better to each other seems like a good start.
Post a Comment