Locals protest arms laws
By: Sergio Tovar, Staff Writer
Issue date: 10/30/07 Section: University
|
Protesters stood in silence for three minutes to honor the victims of the shootings. The three minutes represented the length of time it took gunman Seung-Hui Cho to be approved for his guns.
During the demonstration, residents wore black clothing, as well as maroon and orange ribbons, Va. Tech's colors, around their necks.
"Our focus was to recognize and remember the 32 people who were killed at Va. Tech," said Connie Padgett, UNC-32's organizer.
The shootings have brought the issue of gun control into the national spotlight, but Padgett said there is still room for reform.
"Since the Va. Tech shooting, nothing has been done about gun laws," Padgett said.
In North Carolina, laws require passing a background check before buying a firearm and a state-issued purchase permit, though there are exceptions.
But some people believe the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, which investigates an individual's identity and record before authorizing a gun permit, is not working properly.
Various factors, such as a criminal record, being declared "mentally defective" or being committed to a mental institution, can make a person ineligible to purchase a gun.
Cho was legally declared a "danger to himself and others," which should have precluded him from purchasing a gun, but privacy laws concerning medical records have caused inconsistent reporting to NICS.
And mental health is not the only factor that can go undetected.
According to the Government Accountability Office, during a five-month period, 35 of 44 applicants for a gun whose names matched a Terrorist Watch List Record, were allowed to purchase a gun.
Abby Sprangler, the organizer of the first protest of this kind in Alexandria Va., said the system of gun control is inefficient.
"We're outraged about our lax gun laws in the U.S. that allow criminals and dangerous individuals to get guns," she said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 15
Carl
posted 10/30/07 @ 7:53 AM EST
Can anyone name one illegal-drug law that has prevented someone from obtaining illegal drugs? Can anyone name one gun-control law that has stopped one crime? . (Continued…)
Rob Gundling
posted 10/30/07 @ 8:27 AM EST
Cho used 2 semi-automatic pistols and multiple 10 round clips. I am sure that Spangler's idea: "...closing the gun show loophole and reinstating the assault weapons ban and the federal ban on high-capacity magazines - the ammunition storage - could prevent unfit individuals from acquiring guns" would not have changed things. (Continued…)
lincmercguy
posted 10/30/07 @ 11:52 AM EST
"Sprangler said that improving the background system, closing the gun show loophole and reinstating the assault weapons ban and the federal ban on high-capacity magazines - the ammunition storage - could prevent unfit individuals from acquiring guns. (Continued…)
shotgun
posted 10/30/07 @ 12:46 PM EST
when you take the guns away from the law-abiding citizens, the only ones with guns will be criminals.
"...from my cold, dead hands."
wolfy
posted 10/30/07 @ 2:14 PM EST
I?m 100% in favor of keeping guns out of the hands of criminals and in the hands of law abiding citizens. The overriding issue is how do we accomplish this while at the same time not treading upon our Bill of Rights? It will take smart people to find the solution. (Continued…)
JohnA
posted 10/30/07 @ 2:24 PM EST
I agree with Carl. This is a waste of time.
AJ McFly
posted 10/30/07 @ 4:43 PM EST
Not that I don't disagree with Carl, but how CAN you name one crime that was stopped by a gun control law? The fact is that you CANNOT because the crime does not occur. (Continued…)
fred
posted 10/30/07 @ 7:13 PM EST
Yep, keep guns out of the hands of crazy people for sure, like these left wing Stalinist lunatics at this protest
jrt
posted 10/31/07 @ 4:51 AM EST
I like how he mentions that people on the terror watch list are being allowed to purchase guns. But isn't it great that you can lose your rights just because some government bureaucrat put your name, a name which many people in this country probably share, on a list with over 755,000 other people on it?
I'm sure glad due process went away. (Continued…)
Not a VT sheep
posted 10/31/07 @ 10:29 AM EST
Where do these people come from?
What are they teaching the kids in public schools and Universities like VT?
I'll answer that question: they teach them how to be sheep. (Continued…)
Post a Comment