Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Recent Events

Yes, I know, I haven't written a post in over a week. My life has been crazy. Family sick, work..etc. LIFE...you guys know LIFE right?

So what on everyone's mind today? Well, unfortunately, the VA Tech tragedy comes to mind. Since I am in Virginia and was born and raised in Virginia, this has hit home rather hard. I am hoping that no one I know, knows someone who was I either killed or injured yesterday; but you never know. All I can say is that I definitely feel for those families, students and faculty. They are going through a terrible time right now and need everyone's support and prayers.



I am really tired of hearing about how the "system" failed. "Why didn't they lock the school down?" Or, "Why didn't they tell the students sooner". Well to be honest, I don't think they have an obligation to do any of this; especially if there doesn't seem to be an immediate need. I think that the VA Tech did the best they could have done in that situation and with what they knew at the time.

I really like the one about notifying the students. What the hell? If the officials feel as though the crime scene is secure, there is no need to notify anyone. If someone shoots people in their home, in my neighborhood; do I get the courtesy of someone coming to my door to notify me? Nope; even if it is a few houses down. I get the same information as everyone else; either through the news (if it makes it that far) or the newspaper. Geesh, just because you are on a college campus doesn't entitle you to know "everything" that happens. The dorm where the shooting happened was locked down (good) and the officials were investigating (good). They had no reason at the time to suspect a shooter was running around the campus.

Of course the media doesn't help when they "hype" everything to the "enth" degree. I know people are hurting and grieving, but stop blaming the people that are trying to help. Blame the person who actually committed the crime; the shooter.

I am also not an advocate of gun control. My husband and I own guns, teach our children gun safety and are responsible, law abiding citizens; especially when it comes to guns. Using this incident as a forum to tout gun control is wrong. Gun control doesn't save lives; but enables law abiding citizens to become more victimized by the very criminals the government is trying to keep from owning guns. It is a well known fact that criminals get most of their guns by illegal means. So making more gun control laws is not going to keep the guns out of the criminals hands.

Take a gander at this article, written by a woman. Amazing and yet so true!

Felons and Guns

4 comments:

Demon32 said...

The power of spin Laura... People destroying their own rights, every time there is a tragedy of this proportion.

I wish I could decide what I could put in my body and not the government.

I wish people could not get sued for getting their feelings hurt.

Then again what do I know :D

Anonymous said...

I'm with you Laura. I'm not in favor of gun control. Takes them out of the hands of the normal and then only the crazies will have them.

I wasn't blaming the "system" at first, but now in light of all the advanced warnings the school had gotten (i.e. professors going to the administration about him, him stalking 2 girls in 2005, the trip to the mental facility) well....

Hope the sickness leaves your home and LIFE settles down a bit for ya! :)

Laura said...

True D on "suing"...people kill me sometimes on what they will sue for.

Slick--I can understand people being frustrated, especially when they want to blame someone and know now that this guy had a history of issues. My argument with this though is, well, there is only so much the law can do. Our laws the way they stand, do make it easy or even allow law enforcement to "arrest" someone like this guy. He had never been violent before; so unfortunately, until he was violent there wasn't much they could do. They did commit him...for a short, what "day"..gosh, but as far as long term, they needed more and up until he shot all those people, he apparently hadn't given them enough for them to legally take action. I just wish his family had paid more attention, but to be honest, what could they do? He was an adult...our system isn't perfect by any means. :)

Demon32 said...

Update, beautiful laura! Update! :D please...