LATEST LETTERS

Virginia Tech massacre

Friday, April 27 at 12:54 PM

Steve Wright of Littleton writes:

As I read newspapers and watch the talking heads on TV I am amazed at how people can so blatantly use the deaths of innocent college students to further their agenda. On the day of the shooting the president of the Brady Campaign released a statement stating that the VT murders reinforced why we need “sensible” gun laws. The sensible gun laws the Brady’s currently are pushing are “one gun a month” (VA already has), registration, .50 caliber gun bans, military style weapons bans ... etc. NONE of which would have had any effect on the VT killer, the PA Amish killer, or the Bailey CO killer.
We need REAL dialogue on how to protect Americans, not just the Brady’s fighting for every anti-gun/anti self defense law possible and the NRA opposing them. As long as there are ANY guns available in this country, be they single shot rifles or large capacity military style rifles, right or wrong we are accepting a risk.
Because our hunting and culture will not be totally banning guns anytime soon, there is only ONE possible defense; we must make sure citizens have the means to defend themselves against monsters.
Teachers deputised, trained, and armed with guns? As the father of two little girls it’s offensive to me. But less offensive than seeing some monster strolling around a school and murderering children unhindered by anyone capable of defending them (of course, SWAT shows up five minutes later, when it’s over) and then the political groups start their debate again. Because that WILL happen again at some point, be it with the semi auto guns used by this killer or a single shot hunting rifle.
Too many are dying not to put all the options on the table. We DO need sensible gun laws. But barring the possibility of a gun ban, we need to defend against the tiny percentage of truly insane among us. For the childrens sake, we have to consider every possilbity; not just what is politically expedient for one group or another.
Why don’t we? I guess some people just hate guns more than they love children.

This letter has not been edited.

READER COMMENTS

Steve,

You're like so many hypocrites who start a letter by admonishing those who would "use the deaths" to "further their agenda", and then go right ahead and do that very thing.

Then you offer a really pathetic and transparent false choice at the end of your incoherant "plea":

"I guess some people just hate guns more than they love children."

I guess Steve just loves guns more than he loves children.

See how easy?

Posted by Charles B on April 27, 2007 04:45 PM

In Bushs` first comment on the subject, he mentioned that this should not interfere with a persons right to own a gun (paraphrasing)

Please tell me how that is not using this to further one of his agendas?

Posted by Sharon B. on April 28, 2007 08:13 AM