Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Arm Yourself, Protect Yourself

The recent Virginia Tech tragedy has, of course, once again brought the subject of gun control to the forefront of public consciousness.

Though I seriously doubt this consciousness will long remain in the forefront of individuals’ thoughts, what with American Idol being whittled down to only six contestants, and Sheryl Crow proposing that people use only one square of toilet paper, and the vast field of presidential wannabes promising bread and circuses, in exchange for a handout today, in an election that is still eighteen months in the future.

But it is NOT gun control that will provide the margin of safety that may prevent the Cho’s of the world from wantonly murdering individuals, but gun availability for private individuals.

Writing in the Washington Times, Pierre Lemieux comments on just this subject.

What is obvious, to those of us who look beyond the headlines, is that mass killings were rare when guns were easily available, but have increased as guns have become more controlled.

Additionally, Lemieux notes the following important truth.

The truth, as the tragedy in Blacksburg reminds us, is that it is impossible to be totally protected by the police against criminal maniacs, except by turning society into a prison.

And then Lemieux ends his piece with this comment.

So long as we tolerate a nanny-state culture of dependency, in which people are treated as children, disarmed and prohibited from protecting themselves, senseless mass killings will continue, and perhaps increase.

Turning the other cheek does not mean allowing yourself to be slaughtered like a lamb.

Lemieux’s piece is titled Trail of Travail.

Posted by John Venlet on 04/24 at 05:08 AM
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