I don’t really have anything to say regarding what happened at VT that differs from what’s already out there (there = everywhere). I’m somewhere between sick and pissed. In situations like this, people collectively travel through the grieving process, but as Americans, I think we particularly stick onto finding something to blame. Oddly enough, Bu$h opened his mouth at the commemoration on campus yesterday and diarrhea didn’t rocket out of his mouth. He mentioned that we shouldn’t play the blame game in regards to who’s responsibility this tragedy should fall under. It seems like rather than recognize that this kid had some serious issues that were far enough apart that nobody noticed (besides a writing teacher), people have decided to focus squarely on America’s good ol’ obsession, guns.
The most amusing of the sides are the ‘gun nuts’. These people–by FAR usually White, middle-class and Republican–have been using tragedies like this for cause to arm everyone, everywhere. I’ve seen the pundits on TV talking about arming teachers again, which is in my opinion one of the stupidest ideas ever. They speak to the people who view the most important important individual right as gun ownership. These people won’t hear any argument that has to do with harsher gun control laws, even in a country where it’s harder to get health care than it is to get a .357 Magnum. What’s more, they seem to think that giving MORE people guns equals LESS gun violence. Where’s the logic? A bunch of wannabe heroes with side holsters so scared of everything they’ll shoot at their own shadow. Heaven forbid a group of ‘dangerous minorities’ happen to be sharing a sidewalk with grandma and her Magnum. I don’t particularly enjoy the police departments’ practices, but I suspect they wouldn’t be looking forward to trying to outdraw any and everybody with their lame 9mm’s.
They tell us that the Second Amendment protects their right to bear arms. That is somewhat true. Obviously the Constitution was written to be open to interpretation and to be relevant for as long as possible (that’s why they left it open to amendments–which is essentially writing it in pencil with extra margins). The amendment, which is purposefully vague, states ‘A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.’
Amendments 1 through 8 all were all pointedly written at the things governments usually do first when they set out to become all-powerful and unaccountable to the people — silencing religion and the press, mass disarmament, quartering soldiers in homes, lawless searches and arrests, kangaroo court trials without due process, fair procedure or juries. I believe that the framers were attempting to ensure the peoples’ right to assemble for militas or to overthrow the government–should the need arise–with the benefit of weapons the government couldn’t seize.
How does this apply now?
It is estimated that there are at least 200 MILLION privately owned guns in the United States (1999 figures). 4/10 households have at least one gun, and 45% of those 4/10 say the primary reason they own them is for ‘protection’.
We are constantly being questioned for our stubbornness in regard to gun control. I heard someone from the BBC yesterday asking ‘why Americans are willing to sacrifice their children for the Second Amendment?’ Are we?
I could fill my entire site with telling stats of our murder rates in comparison to other modern countries, but I believe people (even gun nuts) are already aware of what we allow to happen in this country every day for the ILLUSION of safety. I’m not one to infringe on people’s rights in regard to what they can and cannot own, but people…something has to change. I don’t think there is a need for the masses to have guns in this country anymore. Even IF the government ever decided to completely take over, what would your handgun do vs an M1 Abrams Tank? or vs military assault Rifles?
If you’re too scared to leave your house without a gun, you need to stay the f*ck inside. Don’t be a pussy, and stop hiding behind an antiquated, outmolded amendment that is no longer relevant.
