Sunday, February 17, 2008

WHERE’D THEY GET THE GUNS?


Now it is on the news that the shooter in Illinois got his weapon(s) from the same Internet business that the Virginia Tech shooter did.

Am I the only one who sees a major problem in this whole situation? I hope not.

Buying weapons on the internet is scary enough. Background check on the internet - come on, get real - do the people who think that’s effective also believe in a sweet, silent fairy who flies in your bedroom at night to take a tooth and leaves a dollar under your pillow? Pretty much the same logic.

Yes, I know it is an American Constitutional right to own guns, the whole ‘Right To Bear Arms’ thing. Yes, I know the NRA has one of the most powerful lobbies in the country. But, let’s get real, folks. The constitution was written when people needed guns to protect themselves, not to mention to feed themselves. Last time I went to the market, the meat was all laid out, I didn’t have to shoot it first. And a gun to protect yourself only works if it is in your hand, loaded and cocked, when you need it - and then there’s still the chance that the perpetrator will be able to get it away and use it against you. Or you shoot the dog or someone in your family instead of the bad guy. Or, if you do actually shoot them, they can turn around and sue you - and win.

Guns for hunting? Hunting is a fine sport. I come from a family of hunters. We had venison on the table a lot. I’ve hunted woodchucks. But it doesn’t take a huge caliber assault rifle to bring down a woodchuck, rabbit or even a deer. Contrary to some people’s reasoning that the bigger the gun the more manly it makes them, Here’s What I Think: the bigger the gun, the less the sport.

Here’s What I Think: that the gun situation needs to be addressed. Gun manufacturers and sellers need to be limited in the size and caliber of weapons that are available to the general public. Yes, I know that ‘if guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns’ and there is a smidgen of logic to this - but if the weapons are not even manufactured, then they won’t be there for anyone to have, will they? What the hell does the average homeowner, or gun sportsperson need with an assault rifle, anyway?

That there need to be severe, strict and serious background checks in any gun sale. Gun shows, where pretty much my deaf dog could walk in and buy a weapon? Bad idea. Guns on the internet - worse idea. As much as I am against giving government any more restriction power than they already have, this needs to be uniform, not different from state to state. Gee, maybe some of the money that goes to checking little old ladies shoes at the airports could be diverted to this. Because this is a new form of terrorism, right here in our country, and because if it stops one shooter, isn’t that worth it?

2 comments:

Unknown said...

After reading the opinion on fire arms, I have to say I do disagree. You cannot go to a gun show and buy any weapon with out a federal background check. You cannot by a handgun without an ammendment to your permit. Yes I am sure there are bad guys who break the law, there always have been, but a great majority of gun owners are law abiding citizens and do not kill people. One of the things that annoys me is all the media hype over a tragic shooting in any school. Thre worst school shooting happened in 1911 I think in a small school house in Michigan. There was not the super hype media to fire the anti-gun lobby. I belive that the 2nd amendment is a necessary part of being an American. I personally own several guns (handguns and long guns - three are semi-automatics) and I have to tell you, Ted Kennedy killed more people with his car than I have with my guns......that is until some illegal tries to come thru my door. That is what the second amendment is for. Preservation of the United States. One of the reasons our country is strong is because we are a people who are able to defend and protect ourselves. It is too bad we have nuts who snap their wire, but we have always had them and putting more laws onto the legal gun owner is not going to stop them. The nuts will get guns even if there is a law to ban guns......Nuts are nuts and will use a knife, bow and arrow, spear, or what ever if they are nuts. I have no soft spot for the mental morons who cause these events, just contempt for them and I do think that blaming the gun for the crime and trying to regulate it for that reason is wrong. Enforce the laws on the books, don't knee jerk and make more.

DEC

crs224akameema said...

Agreed most gun owners and users are law-abiding people and would never have the thought of using the gun on another person. I have had guns myself, but do not at this time.
But if there are people who are, as the IL shooter, 'on medication' that he stopped taking, perhaps the background checks are missing things and those need to be revised upwards?
Agreed on the media hype, and perhaps without that there would not be the attraction by disturbed people to do it themselves.
but we all know that bad news sells newspapers.
Sounds like another blog to me.