Re: the virginina university massacre
On Apr 17, 2007, at 1:07 PM, Sean Andrews wrote:
I understand how this question appears logical, but you have to understand the peculiar psyche of the American gun owner and his Rifle Association: this isn’t evidence of the need for gun control. In fact, it is evidence that everyone should be required to carry guns such that this individual would not have had a chance to get off more than a couple of shots before his classmates took him out.
Yup. Alexander Cockburn’s pal Larry Pratt, who runs something called
Gun Owners of America and who regards Charlton Heston as a
“chardonnay-swilling sellout” (as I believe Cockburn put it in a
profile of Pratt), thinks teachers should be armed to prevent just
this sort of thing.
Here’s GOA’s press release on Virginia Tech.
Doug
http://www.gunowners.org/pr0704.htm
Virginia Tech Shooting — Gun Bans Are The Problem, Not The Solution
For Immediate Release April 16, 2007 Contact: Eddie Isler or Ellie McDaniel 703-321-8585
“When will we learn that being defenseless is a bad defense,” asked
Larry Pratt, Executive Director of Gun Owners of America?
“All the school shootings that have ended abruptly in the last ten
years were stopped because a law-abiding citizen — a potential
victim — had a gun,” Pratt said.
“The latest school shooting demands an immediate end to the gun-free
zone law which leaves the nation’s schools at the mercy of madmen. It
is irresponsibly dangerous to tell citizens that they may not have
guns at schools. The Virginia Tech shooting shows that killers have
no concern about a gun ban when murder is in their hearts.
“Not far from Virginia Tech, a killer was stopped at the Appalachian
School of Law when two students were able to go off campus to their
vehicles and get their guns which they used to subdue the killer.
Sadly, not even that awkward defense was available at Virginia Tech.
“Isn’t it interesting that Utah and Oregon are the only two states
that allows faculty to carry guns on campus. And isn’t it interesting
that you haven’t read about any school or university shootings in
Utah or Oregon? Why not? Because criminals don’t like having their
victims shoot back at them,” Pratt said. “That’s why the American
people want an end to this ineffective gun ban.”
Pollsters have found that 85% of Americans would find it appropriate
for a principal or teacher to use “a gun at school to defend the
lives of students” to stop a school massacre (Research 2000 poll).
The words of Virginia Tech spokesman, Larry Hincker, should be
haunting him in the wake of the massacre at his school. Last year, a
bill was killed in the Virginia legislature to enable those with
concealed weapons permits to carry their guns at schools. Hincker
said that “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.”
“Gun Owners of America has called on Congress to repeal its deadly
law requiring gun free school zones,” said Pratt. “Likewise, the call
has been made to state legislatures to enact legislation enabling
people with concealed carry permits to be able to have their weapons
with them in schools.”
– GOA –