"Gun-Free Zones"

From American Heritage Dictionary:

ac·qui·esce (āk'wē-ěs') v. To consent or comply passively or without protest.

I watched the events of the Virginia Tech shooting yesterday horrified for the students and their parents. Between yesterday and today, there has been (and still is) a virtual cornucopia of speculation by the media in the absence of any hard details. No one knew why there was a 2 hour gap between the shootings, who the shooter was, or why he did it. But one thing I did know was that by the time the morning editions of many newspapers came out there would be chorus of editorials chiming in to remove the last chance any of the 32 victims had at self defense.

Like a bedraggled feral cat looking for it's morning milk, the NY Times came in towing the liberal party line like a partially gnawed mouse:

Sympathy was not enough at the time of Columbine, and eight years later it is not enough. What is needed, urgently, is stronger controls over the lethal weapons that cause such wasteful carnage and such unbearable loss.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/17/opinion/17tue1.html?th&emc=th

Not to be outdone by their socialist brethren on this side of the pond, the enlightened of Europe have taken this opportunity to tell us all how stupid we are.

In the strongest editorialized image of the day, German cable news broadcaster NTV flashed an image of the former head of the National Rifle Association, the US gun lobby: In other words, blame rifle-wielding Charlton Heston for the 33 dead.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,477686,00.html

From The Independent (Britain):

There is no sign of attitudes hardening. Despite the opposition of every police force in the land, Congress in 2004 allowed to lapse a 10-year federal ban on semi-automatic assault weapons, a particular favorite of violent criminals.

This is what happens when someone who doesn't know what they are talking about decides to climb on the soap box. The AWB did not ban semi-automatic weapons, only combinations of things like a folding stock, bayonet mount, grenade launcher, etc in conjunction with a removable magazine. If the AWB was not allowed to sunset, yesterdays victims would still be just as dead. Initial reports indicate the shooter used two pistols which in all probability were not covered by the AWB. If you find someone who says we need to reinstate the AWB, ask them specifically what an "assault weapon" is.

Not to be outdone, the Germans are proving themselves even more idiotic:

From Bild (Germany):

Now we will probably begin discussing the overly lax gun laws in the United States. There, buying a machine gun is often easier than getting a driver's license.

Owning a "machine gun" or a fully automatic firearm (not to be confused with semi-automatic) is regulated by the ATF and requires extensive federal licensing. They have been banned from sales to the general public since 1934. It's amazing that a continent like Europe, which allegedly craves diversity, wants us to be just like them when it comes to firearms.

Does anyone wonder why shootings like this happen at schools? Maybe this is a clue:

HB 1572, which would have allowed handguns on college campuses, died in subcommittee.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006

A bill that would have given college students and employees the right to carry handguns on campus died with nary a shot being fired in the General Assembly. House Bill 1572 didn't get through the House Committee on Militia, Police and Public Safety. It died Monday in the subcommittee stage, the first of several hurdles bills must overcome before becoming laws.
...
Virginia Tech spokesman Larry Hincker was happy to hear the bill was defeated. "I'm sure the university community is appreciative of the General Assembly's actions because this will help parents, students, faculty and visitors feel safe on our campus."

http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/wb/xp-50658

I'm wondering how safe Larry and the university community at Virginia Tech is feeling today? Am I the only person who thinks that a "gun free zone" is little more than an invitation to a shooting gallery? Just because a killer is insane, that doesn't mean he's stupid. Bad people, like the rest of us, will almost always follow the path of least resistance. Until Virginia Tech (Et U of Al) stops acquiescing to their utopian visions of Oz, they should change their nickname from "Hokies" to "Clay Pigeons".