Virginia Tech

And yet another day of infamy for the Second Amendment worshippers. For  as long as man walks the planet, it is unlikely that he will ever have the ability to predict murderous rampages by seemingly normal people.  It is, however, self-evident that those rampages will involve more fatalities if a gun is used. And anyone – look at that word: anyone! – can obtain a gun simply by attending a gun show.  The NRA argues, as does the Constitution, that citizens must have guns to prevent the infringement of their liberties by standing federal armies.  Once that made some sense, but as I recall, the Revolutionary Army did not have tanks, machine guns, hand grenades, bombers, fighter planes, battleships, long-range artillery, laser-guided missiles, and an infinite supply of weapons of mass destruction.  Just how effective will my 60-year-old 22 caliber rifle or your  pistol, AK-47 and twelve-gauge shotgun prove in turning back forces so armed?  That ship has sailed. Reasonable laws protecting both gun owners and society are conceivable. As long as we close our minds to the possibility of a better answer, and our politicians continue to dance to the macabre tune of the NRA, Columbine and Virginia Tech demonstrate that our children will continue to pay the price of our neglect.