A local Belgian TV anchor just labelled today’s US Virginia Tech shooting “yet another shooting incident waiting to happen”.
Watch live cell-phone video of the killing spree. [update: no longer available]
Shocking quote from an “hurray” press release by the NRA in July 2004: [quickly removed, but read the cached original]
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“Virginia Right-to-Carry permit holders are no longer subject to the state’s one-gun-a-month restriction, thanks to a law effective July 1. Fifteen additional pro-gun laws go on the books helping to improve the Second Amendment rights of Virginians. All new statutes — supported by the National Rifle Association (NRA) — were passed by the Virginia General Assembly and signed by Governor Mark Warner.
“This has been a landmark year for the Second Amendment in the Commonwealth of Virginia,” said Chris W. Cox, NRA’s chief lobbyist. “Today Virginia’s law-abiding gun owners have more rights after strong support from the Virginia General Assembly, Governor Warner and citizens across the state.”
One positive change to Virginia statute excludes holders of valid Right-to-Carry permits from the limitation of buying only one handgun a month. The law, originally sponsored by Delegate Bill Janis (HB 404), also exempts purchases made by collectors for the purposes of improving their collection.
Other measures, sponsored respectively by Delegate Bob McDonnell and Delegate Scott Lingamfelter (HB 1144 and HB 1302), make needed improvements to the laws governing firearm purchases by removing unnecessary restrictions on residents of the Commonwealth. Four additional statutes strengthen preemption laws and eliminate onerous local firearm ordinances. And, Virginia broadly expanded the number of states whose Right-to-Carry permits it will recognize.
“Not only did 16 pro-gun bills become law, but numerous anti-gun proposals were soundly defeated this legislative session,” added Cox. “NRA commends Virginia for taking a giant step forward in protecting our Second Amendment freedom.”
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Reading the quote above, most Belgians/ Europeans cannot feel any empathy for this “incident”. If the US constitution allows almost its entire population to carry guns they bought at Walmart, an never ending stream of people will get shot. That’s what handguns are made for, aren’t they? I doubt whether the relatives of the 32 corpses in VA are “enjoying the benefits of the Second Amendment freedom”.
A final insult came from the White House: “”The president believes that there is a right for people to bear arms, but that all laws must be followed,” spokeswoman Dana Perino said.” Probably the dumbest statement one could make about 200 million firearms.
Quote from Veronica McCabe Deschambault, an American expat in Brussels, Belgium:”But who’s doing the killing in America? Who’s slaughtering innocents? Who’s committing domestic “acts of terrorism”? None other than our own citizens.
The Bush statement (”President Bush on Monday said he was “horrified” by the mass shooting at Virginia Tech”) was yet another meaningless soundbite. “Horrified?” Dream on.
[related: "exploration of violence and gun culture in America"- The Nation.
Related: "criticism of U.S. gun control laws around the world" - AOL News]
[Image credits: all major US newsfeeds]
This blog is not affiliated with or endorsed by the city of Antwerp, Belgium.
I hope we are not really aspiring to be Europeans. Remember, Americans don’t imigrate to Europe, Europeans come here. If the europeans had it all figured out that would not be the case.
Comment by shelby — April 16, 2007 @ 10:38 pm |
everything that’s mentioned in this article is facts and makes complete and total sense!!! i totally agree !!
Comment by crystal elmore — April 16, 2007 @ 10:45 pm |
It might not be politically correct to say, but it’s the truth. There are a staggering number of Americans killed by non-whites using firearms. Ignore the ignorant European media and concentrate on the US media. Separate the number of non-white gunmen from white and the numbers decrease by a huge margin. Blacks are just under 13% of the population but they commit almost 70% of the murders in the US. Keep that in mind while watching the news media. A media that hides this fact and tries to keep the people ill-informed with lies like most murderers are white males or most serial killers are white males. Both untrue. If the gunman today had been white instead of Asian, you’d have seen his picture plastered all over the news by now. However, it hasn’t been published anywhere as of 4:00 pm PT.
Comment by Norman S. — April 17, 2007 @ 1:09 am |
I’m absolutely amazed: the number of abusive comments on this post is staggering (although I predominantly quote facts).
Why are Americans readers getting oh so defensive when someone points out that “the right to carry guns” directly implies “a stunning number of Americans killed by firearms”?
It’s a fact of life, deal with it.
Comment by Peter - blog author — April 17, 2007 @ 12:12 am |
Yes, all the guns for self-defencse but no one is safe. Go figure.
Still, to focus on the guns is to be one degree away from the real problem: the urge to own that weapon, to pull that trigger, to believe in your right to kill your real or imagined enemies.
Comment by V-Grrrl — April 17, 2007 @ 9:43 pm |
@V-Grrl: thanks for commenting. Your excellent post touched a raw nerve indeed: America seems to have a real problem with accountability.
I’ve added you to my blogroll.
Comment by Peter - blog author — April 18, 2007 @ 12:27 am |
Europeans like to critize everyone else in the world, especially Americans. Yes, America has problems, but as I recall, we bailed your butts out after World War II, which was started in Europe, by Europeans, as was World War I. The Marshall Plan rebuilt war-torn Europe, and in typical European fashion you show your gratitude by blasting America. No wonder the majority of early American immigrants wanted to leave Europe. Europe has plenty of its own problems to worry about it.
[Blog author: "Thanks for commenting from Colorado, Monika. I'm afraid you picked out one single post (on gun issues) and concluded that I was "blasting America" (which I'm not, some of my closest friends are American). You totally failed to address the single real issue (gun control is absolutely needed in the USA) and reacted by starting a totally irrelevant rant about World War I and II... "]
Comment by Monika — July 22, 2008 @ 7:31 am |