April 17, 2007

Guns and Virginia Tech

Filed under: In the News, Second Amendment — HDW @ 12:23 pm

In light of yesterday’s events at Virginia Tech, a reader named Ed reminded me of a post I wrote last September called To carry, or not to. I thought his comment of “Wow, how Ironic is this in late April of 2007???” was particularly appropriate. Last September Virginia Tech was reeling from the rampage of William Morva. Students wanted the campus ban on legal concealed carry revoked. They didn’t want anything others didn’t have, they just wanted holders of concealed carry permits to be able to carry on campus. I doubt this would have made much difference on yesterday’s events, but it makes you think. Has removing all legal firearms from our society made criminals with firearms more dangerous?

I’m sure Ed would agree that the reason this push to legalize concealed carry in our Universities was stopped was particularly ironic.

Virginia Tech spokesman Larry Hincker was happy to hear the bill was defeated. “I’m sure the university community is appreciative of the General Assembly’s actions because this will help parents, students, faculty and visitors feel safe on our campus.” - Roanoke.com

Update: Michelle Malkin’s Wanted: A culture of self-defense says it better than I can.

Other Posts:
Virginia Tech Shooting
Virginia Tech Shooting - Update
More on Virginia Tech Shooting
Virginia Tech Shooting - The big question
Guns and Virginia Tech

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5 Comments

  1. Has removing all legal firearms from our society made criminals with firearms more dangerous?

    That makes the dangerous assumption that criminals aren’t in possession of firearms legally. From what I gather, in Virginia it is quite easy to obtain firearms legally.

    30,000 people in the US killed by firearms each year. Hurray for constitutional rights!

    The right to bear arms should never come above the right not to live in a gun-wielding society. Odd that a 200+ year-old piece of paper written by an entirely different society for an entirely different society should still be viewed with almost religious zeal.

    There’s an old adage that the desire to seek public office should automatically disqualify anyone from doing so. Perhaps the desire to own a gun, still more the desire to carry one around with you, should be the first criterion for having your license application revoked. It simply makes no sense. Allowing people to carry concealed weapons wouldn’t have made people safer - banning people from owning guns in the first place would have done that.

    Comment by Jonathan — April 17, 2007 @ 1:28 pm

  2. I’m not really in the mood to debate firearms pros and cons, but here are a few thoughts for you.

    • A large percentage of violent crime in this country is from repeat offenders. Since this group is already banned from owning firearms, you’ll have to explain how banning firearms again will do anything.
    • Statistics have repeatedly shown that concealed carry permit holders are less likely to commit crimes with firearms than the general public.
    • Firearms prevent more than a million crimes in this country every year
    • Firearms are not used in a majority of violent crime

    In my post I wasn’t thinking so much about firearms, but more about the way our society has removed our ability to defend ourselves. More and more reliance is put upon a government that isn’t capable of defending us.

    Look at the violent crime statistics in your own country (England). Have they gone down since guns were banned? I think not.

    Comment by HDW — April 17, 2007 @ 2:23 pm

  3. Guns and Virginia Tech…

    …

    Trackback by University Update — April 17, 2007 @ 4:03 pm

  4. In Australia we had an amnesty of automatic firearms about 5 years ago..not handguns. Our prime minister said yesterday…we would hope that an incicent like VT wouldn`t happen here.
    Having not been to the U.S….and lived in a society without guns so readily available..
    Why is there such a need in this day and age…to feed off…a right to bare arms in U.S.
    The notion lends itself to…
    Anyone feeling unhappy or disturbed..can go right ahead and take up that right…and turn it into what ever else they believe is also their right.
    I would suggest the U.S culture assess it`s values.
    There is no doubt in my mind…this will happen again. Instead of a right..there is now a need to give up arms.

    Comment by paul — April 17, 2007 @ 6:26 pm

  5. If more people would have had guns this never would have been as bad.Hey jonathan I bet guns prevented more than 30000 deaths last year!!!Do your home work! Why don’t you move to a country that doesn’t allow guns!

    Comment by Todd — April 17, 2007 @ 11:51 pm

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