4/17/2007

Of all the idiot comments about the Virginia massacre, this surely takes the biscuit.

This morning on Radio Five Live I heard a comment from a member of the American gun lobby which highlighted the stupidity and backwardness of the gun lobby's argument.

This fool argued that the best way to prevent another tragedy was for all students to arm themselves so they could shoot back. Of all the idiot comments from the gun lobby, this surely takes the biscuit.

The regular argument they give "it's people not guns that kill" can be undermined in a second when you look at incidents in other countries.

In the UK, a disaffected youth, a disturbed student, a suicidal maniac, indeed anyone who is suddenly psychologically unbalanced does not have access to guns in an instant. Yes, we all know guns are available illegally, but not just like that, lying in a locker, available in shop on your street corner, not literally at your fingertips. So what happens when you go "off the rails" ?

We had an incident in Norfolk last Sunday, a man was arrested after allegedly trying to attack a group of people with a machete. For all we know of the incident, this man was of previously good character, but something pushed him beyond his normal tolerance limits. The question is though, what would have happened if the easiest weapon to lay his hands on was a gun, not a machete ?

It takes two to create a massacre on the scale of Virginia. A crazed person and a gun. A crazed person could not have killed 33 people without having a gun. That's a fact.

9 comments:

Laurence Boyce said...

It’s obvious isn’t it. That it’s both guns and people that kill. It surely follows that the enlightened approach is to tackle a problem like this from all directions at once. Yet the debate always seems to be framed in terms of this specious dichotomy of views.

Anonymous said...

They were speaking to a some ultra religious not earlier on the radio blaming computer games, not guns, but XBox and nintendo for this !

Anonymous said...

Completely agree with your point. It may be a person not the gun that shoots but without the gun there is nothing much a gunman can do. When you can buy a gun for $500 after a minute of background check, anyone without a criminal record can buy a gun.

Anonymous said...

if guns are outlawed, only gooks will have guns

Anonymous said...

Isn;t that how it should be ? Criminals have guns because they are dangerous weapons that can kill. that is the point.

And if guns are so necessary to deal with "gooks" who have gunsm how come 50% of American housholds don't have or need a gun ?

Tristan said...

Criminals have guns as the shift power in their favour. If they have a gun then it makes committing a crime easier to get away with.


Gun control is not a simple matter. We show in the UK that strict controlling laws do not work.
Switzerland shows that lots of firearms do not necessarily lead to the problems the US has.

The argument that if others had guns they could have stopped the shooter sooner are correct. The death toll may have been far lower.

The big question is different though, its whether firearms should be available so much (in which case you should be able to carry you gun into most places) or whether strict gun controls are better.

Anonymous said...

Ok you don't want guns in the Uk
when next the bomber blows up the next train station maybe your bobies can blow their whisles to death them.
Maybe the next gas attack they will stop them with a night stick
Reason able people don't and won't
kill people
I'm sorry you don't trust yourself

Nich Starling said...

Showing some massive ignorane actually Mr Anonymous.

Firstly, I want ordinary people to be banned from having guns. I accept the need for some armed police. i do not, however, want ordinary people taking pot shots at people because they think they are bombs .

We had armed police on the streets the week after the 7/7 tube bombings. As a result, an innocent man was shot by the police for no reason other than looking suspicious. However, during this perios four other bombers set of bombs which failed to explode properly (there is a trial at the moment on0going), so armed police dailed to deal with them anyway.

The problem with guns is that I trust myself, i don't trust the mentally deranged as your gun laws do.

Anonymous said...

The weak will allways be taken advantage of or worst.
I hope when they mass in your country you can repel them.
lol
Peace through strenth
who will prevail in your house
whats the use,All I can say,
I wish you the best
USA

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