Another mass shooting?
Feb. 15th, 2023 10:07 amMichigan State University is my alma mater (B.A. 1971) where I spent many years as an undergraduate, then as a grad student, and finally as an employee. Sadly, the news that a pointless mass shooting there has killed at least three and injured many more is little surprise in our current political and social climate. The epidemic of gun violence that has increasingly infected the US over the past half-century is so obvious, and yet our politicians and a substantial minority of voters and the population insist it isn't happening and doesn't exist.
The authors of the second amendment to our Constitution, when they talked about firearms, only knew single shot weapons with limited accuracy. I am sure they could never have imagined machine guns, semi-automatic rifles, or even the six shooter of the wild old West.
We must take action to stop this insanity. The only way to do so is by electing officials who will take sound action against it. Don't tell me this is impossible. Yes, crimes that involve firearms still happen in countries where guns are strictly controlled, but not with anything like the frequency we see here in the US.
Guns must be licensed just as vehicles are, with restrictions and required training. Strict enforcement must keep such weapons out of the hands of prior offenders. It appears in this particular instance that the shooter (who is reported to have killed himself after committing his crime) had a prior offense that was reduced to a "misdemeanor" and thus did not keep him from once again obtaining a firearm and abusing it. This is absolutely inexcusable.
Sign petitions and vote responsibly. Do not support politicians who refuse to impose restrictions on weaponry. I say this especially to younger people who are eligible to vote but often decline to take an interest in politics. You must do so. Take action now to protect the future not only for yourself, but for your peers and your future children. Firearms should NEVER enter any educational property, for instance. And penalties for violation must be severe and enforced.
Morons like Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, Greg Abbot, or Ron DeSantis need to be turned out of office immediately. The NRA should be stripped of its non-profit educational status too. Hollywood and television must stop depicting gun violence as entertainment and do so NOW.
The authors of the second amendment to our Constitution, when they talked about firearms, only knew single shot weapons with limited accuracy. I am sure they could never have imagined machine guns, semi-automatic rifles, or even the six shooter of the wild old West.
We must take action to stop this insanity. The only way to do so is by electing officials who will take sound action against it. Don't tell me this is impossible. Yes, crimes that involve firearms still happen in countries where guns are strictly controlled, but not with anything like the frequency we see here in the US.
Guns must be licensed just as vehicles are, with restrictions and required training. Strict enforcement must keep such weapons out of the hands of prior offenders. It appears in this particular instance that the shooter (who is reported to have killed himself after committing his crime) had a prior offense that was reduced to a "misdemeanor" and thus did not keep him from once again obtaining a firearm and abusing it. This is absolutely inexcusable.
Sign petitions and vote responsibly. Do not support politicians who refuse to impose restrictions on weaponry. I say this especially to younger people who are eligible to vote but often decline to take an interest in politics. You must do so. Take action now to protect the future not only for yourself, but for your peers and your future children. Firearms should NEVER enter any educational property, for instance. And penalties for violation must be severe and enforced.
Morons like Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, Greg Abbot, or Ron DeSantis need to be turned out of office immediately. The NRA should be stripped of its non-profit educational status too. Hollywood and television must stop depicting gun violence as entertainment and do so NOW.