Tough time in Virginia, USA!

[WillowTheWhisp]

Did you hear the teacher who said she'd wanted to refer him for counselling? If only something had been done then

[Margaret Pilkington]

I know that at this point it is hard to imagine, but maybe some good could come out of this tragedy. Who knows if someone connected with the college will start some kind of revolution(not the violent kind, but the productive kind) to bring the bearing of arms under closer scrutiny and perhaps legislation.

[garinda]

Very sorry to hear about Vicki Armel.

[bullseyebarb]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

I know that at this point it is hard to imagine, but maybe some good could come out of this tragedy. Who knows if someone connected with the college will start some kind of revolution(not the violent kind, but the productive kind) to bring the bearing of arms under closer scrutiny and perhaps legislation.

Under Virginia law the VT campus was already a gun free zone.....making it, of course, a perfect target for any perp. Strangely enough, the Virginia lawmakers had quite recently been considering a bill that would have reversed that - making it legal for anyone who had qualified for a concealed weapons permit to carry their gun on campus. But the bill never got out of subcommittee so was not voted upon. A spokesman for Virginia Tech said at the time that he was grateful for that as it would make everyone at the school feel so much safer. Huh, huh. If only a handful of people at VT had been allowed to have their weapons with them on Monday, I believe we would have been looking at a much different scenario today.

[katex]

Well maybe Bullseye, but who could say what other incidents may have happened if all the kid's were allowed to carry guns on Campus. Even the smallest of disagreements, etc.

[Eric]

I think that now is the time for grieving, recrimiations and debates about gun control can wait. Think of the pain the families are suffering. Think, maybe, of the heroism of a seventy + holocaust survivor. Other stuff can wait.

[katex]

Yes, of course, Eric. Sorry.

[bullseyebarb]

Originally Posted by katex

Well maybe Bullseye, but who could say what other incidents may have happened if all the kid's were allowed to carry guns on Campus. Even the smallest of disagreements, etc.

I didn't say all. Only those who could qualify for a permit. Lots of hoops to jump through. FBI checks, fingerprinting, forms and more forms, etc., That's why you don't see many instances of concealed weapons permits being revoked, because they are for law-abiding people who follow all the rules.

Apologies to those who think we shouldn't be discussing this topic at the moment.......but it keeps cropping up.

[Ianto.W.]

bullseyebarb, That's why you don't see many instances of concealed weapons permits being revoked, because they are for law-abiding people who follow all the rules

Why would law abiding folk need a gun/permit in the first place?

[LancYorkYankee]

Please Pardon this brief interuption:

Martina McBride just sang this on American Idol:

God is Great but life aint always good;
when I pray, doesn't always turn out like I think it should,
But I do it anyway, I do it anyway!

Words that we try to live by, but it aint always easy at all!

Brian

[steeljack]

Originally Posted by Ianto.W.

Why would law abiding folk need a gun/permit in the first place?

#1 For home protection, maybe home invasion robberies are not a problem where you live , but they have happened here in my area , what do you expect people to do , phone the police and hope they have someone available, maybe 5 miles or more away , and in the meantime .............

#2 I also have one at work for killing rattlesnakes which like to hide under the stacks of pipe in the storage area , ever raised a lift of 8" steel pipes and come across a couple of them ? , when you have a 20 odd acre dirt lot in a semi-rural area, these thing like to hide under anything giving shade and even if you re-grade and compact the whole area they come back, the critters have some kind of homing instinct and will return to areas cleared 10 years ago for new suburban housing developments .

[Ianto.W.]

steeljack. #1 For home protection, maybe home invasion robberies are not a problem where you live , but they have happened here in my area , what do you expect people to do , phone the police and hope they have someone available, maybe 5 miles or more away , and in the meantime .............

Robberies are not just an American problem, we get them just like you do. We are unable to defend our property with force of any kind, if we do we are dealt with more harshly than the robbers, violence begets violence. As for dealing with homing snakes I'm sure there are companies, even a local authority unit that deal with this problem, without every Tom dick and Harry up and down like John Wayne.

[grannyclaret]

This morning i watched the video of the gunman ,before he commited the crimes, it sent a shiver down my back, ...if only someone had sensed the impending horror that was to happen, but hindsight is a wonderful thing,

[panther]

just seen it myself granny, he looked very disturbed!!

[SamF]

I find it amazing that some of the people on here cannot even show the lowest standard of decency. 33 are dead, go and have your petty arguements somewhere else, this is a topic is for condolences.