It's a Religous Experience Living in VA

Recently I said half in jest "that it was easier to get a gun in Old
Virginny than it was a bottle of whiskey." Unfortunately I was right. Today in the Great State of Virginia a 12 year old can buy a GUN without his parents premission. Let me repeat that.

In Virginia, the state where the shooting took place, it is possible to buy a gun from age 12, and that without parental consent.

According to: Benoit Muraciolle who is a researcher for Amnesty International responsible for the "arms control" campaign. (read full interview here)

Let me ask you a question? If you had a really pissed off 12 year old kid, in the house and you decided to punish them by taking away their lines of communication how could you sleep at night? I would be wondering if they were going to march down to the Gun Shop and get a Glock in the morning. Its no wonder VA is part of the bible belt.

Now maybe while I have kind attention for a moment here are more shocking GUN facts to ponder:

in 2002, the Bush administration refused to sign a proposed law to mark munitions so as to allow firearms' usage to be traced. Then there was the voting-in of a law rejecting all weapons industry responsibility [for use of their product]. Since then, no suit may be filed against gunmakers.

There are still 30,000 deaths a year in the United States due to firearms.

The right to bear arms should be change to the right to endure tragedy!

For a depth of understanding about the real tragedy in the most Human of Terms please read the diary of mapantsula

•  Teenage angst should never be allowed a gun n/t

  by VA2CA on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 07:15:11 PM PDT

•  Black ops

  Why was at a school? He was hateful of
  society and particularly those with money.
  He would then want to more directly attack his
  nemisis, like at a mall. So why a school,
  why always a school?

  Because there are no guns at a school.

  by neosleaze on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 07:15:24 PM PDT

  •  We had a shooting in a Mall at Annapolis

    Details

    16 year olds fighting amongst themselves.  An off duty Secret Service agent intervenes.  Even he gets shot.  So for all those Rambo's out there who think that they could stop something like this, even a trained agent can be hit before he can do something.

    by captainlaser on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 07:23:01 PM PDT

  •  Uh...cuz that's where all his "targets" are?

    Duh.
    Duh again.

    So the answer is allow guns at school?
    Let thousands of stressed/immature/hard-drinking young adults have concealed carry?
    THAT would reduce stupid/violent/emotional outbursts that leave a trail of bodies?  Jesus.

    Why does the "disgruntled" (ex)employee go shootemup at his (ex)workplace?  Because that's where ALL his/her work-related "targets" are.
    Fucking Duh.

    IMO, the "I woulda plugged him" crowd defending gun-owning rights are only a few steps removed from the much derided Keyboard Kommandos typing so bravely away from Mom's basement in their cheeto-smeared cammy jammies.

    The Dirty Harry/Lethal Weapon/XYZ video game fantasy of "self defense" would be laughable were it not brought up in the wake of this senseless slaughter.

    IIRC, we (U.S) have 30,000 firearm deaths per year as well as the highest gun ownership/per capita ratio.  

    Hmmm...
    Coincidence?  
    Fucking Duh.

    by JVolvo on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 01:33:52 AM PDT

    •  I didnt say that was the answer

      I didnt say anything about the answer,

      I said these premeditated crimes are occuring
      at schools, because there are no guns there.

      by neosleaze on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 11:54:40 AM PDT

•  And if he was a mentally ill 12 year old

  could he buy two in the same month?  If he was schizophrenic?

  Virginia should be ashamed of itself.

  People are beating on VATech and maybe the campus screwed up, but if this young man had been expelled, do you think that he wouldn't have done something like this at a mall or returned to campus to get even?

  The real tragedy is that a mentally ill person can buy a gun in Virginia without showing up on any list.  I have a colleague who lives in VA and when he bought his rifle, he couldn't believe that they didn't even ask to see a driver's licence.

  When Bravo recycles tonight, watch "Bowling for Columbine".  Every person who checks "Natural Born Killers" out of Blockbuster should get a free rental of Michael Moore's movie to bring them back down to earth.

  by captainlaser on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 07:18:13 PM PDT

•  You been punk'd.

  The Truthout article is bullshit.

  There is no minimum age to possess rifles in Virginia, although federal law prohibits firearms dealers from selling or delivering a rifle or ammunition for a rifle, to any person the dealer knows or has reasonable cause to believe is under the age of 18. 18 U.S.C. § 922(b)(1), (c)(1)

  Thanks. G'night.

  by kestrel9000 on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 07:25:34 PM PDT

  •  Good job

    Amnesty International better review the continued employment of that 'researcher'.

    In the United States, studies show that 70 percent of guns move into an illegal network within three years of their purchase.

    So 70% of all guns in the US are 'illegal' within three years?

    News to me and every other gun owner I know.

    by redcardphreek on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 07:47:28 PM PDT

•  Selling a gun to Cho was illegal:

  AP Article here

  by WIds on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 07:52:04 PM PDT

•  CHILDREN shouldn't be allowed

  to buy guns, period. I grant you, if the kid is the child of a hunter, it's likely Dad will present him with one early in his teens. But let's not make it easy for them to get one. If you're too young to vote, you're too young to buy a gun.

  Are these people INSANE?

  by irishwitch on Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 09:13:23 PM PDT

  •  Did you read my comment?

    This post is bullshit. It's not true.

    by kestrel9000 on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 03:29:42 AM PDT

    •  Guess I missed it.

      But frankly, the idea of kids buying guns still squicks me.  Bad enough their parents buy them for them...

      by irishwitch on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 09:22:01 AM PDT