we realize that the 2nd admendment may be out of date. Do we really need to own assult rifles? Who are we defending ourselves against?

No need to worry about terrorists in the US. We are doing a good job on ourselves. Wonder what NRA will have to say about this?

It wasn't an Assault rifle, just a simple handgun or two. I was sickened by this event, but I still firmly believe in the 2nd amendment, and it is DEFINITELY not outdated.

Snownfire - Maybe you should move to Britain so that you can be robbed and mugged and not be able to defend youreslf - Like the saying goes - You can take 100 guns to a picnic and not one gun will leave and kill somebody . Our society is the root problemm my friend .

Coltm4

. . . automatic clips.

By the way, believers in the 2nd amendment can disagree on its interpretation.

I believe 100% in the right to bare arms...now if only there were a constitutional right to bare breasts.

I bare my breasts all the time.

Call me.

That's what the NRA will say about this...and ANYTHING.

What a stupid question.

The Second Amendment isn't the issue, dude.  It talks about a militia.  

How does everyone feel about "use a gun, receive death sentance" punishment? :P

I'm not one of the better champions of the 2nd Amendment, but it's in the Constitution, and it carries the same weight as any other part of the Bill of Rights.  

I am waiting for some gun champion to stop one of these shootings mid-spree.  I've heard some terribly high figures from gun fans on how often good citizens with guns stop crimes, but I seldom have read about one: and not because the press is liberal.  For one of these sprees, it seems that the guns are never in right hands at the right time.

Somebody has to spot those guys very early and get them a couple of providers specialized in that work.  Get them a social life somehow.  Whether they isolate themselves or other people isolate them, or both it's apparently dangerous to have them cut off.

Is spite of what both political parties have done to eviscerate many of our Bill of Rights; America is still a FREE society, and along with that freedom comes a few "rocks"

 Every month gun publications print actual, police documented accounts of how the legal ownership of a gun has saved would be victims or their loved ones from the evil intents of the dregs of society.
The fact that no where in our history has an invading army dare land on our soil is a quiet but definitive testimonial as to the deterrent of 100,000,000 armed countrymen determined to protect their land and way of life.

The “automatic clips” mentioned herein this thread are merely the ubiquitous “clips” that feed any SEMI-automatic pistol or long rifle. The clip(s) have been limited through prior “gun control” legislation to hold no more than “10” rounds.  The Virginia Tech campus (like most) has a STRICT ban on weapons within the campus. Even if the shooter had a simple 6 shot revolver his ability to rein devastation is no different than placing a wolf in a cage full of rabbits.  

 Americans also LOVE our automobiles. This is in spite of staggering annual statistics of injury and death directly attributed to driving them.

 If we wish to remain a mobile society we must accept the chance that our mobility will kill us. If we wish to remain a FREE society we must also concede to the occasional costs of freedom.  

As great as the tragedy was at VT, it would be an insignificant event compared to the tragedy sought to be inflicted upon us by the do-gooders,i.e., destroy the most important of all liberties, the Second Amendment.It is ironic that yesterday 32 Chinese workers were killed by molten iron in a steel mill and 127,000 Chinese died in 2005 from indutrial accidents yet some Chinese government dude has the audacity to malign our Second Amendment. If we let the actions of one non-citizen destroy our Consitution we deserve the fate that will surely befall us.

Seriously, this is a case where someone failed to be socialized.  For whatever reason, biochemical imbalance, poor parenting, a traumatic event in early childhood, lead poisoning.... whatever...

getting people out, and into a healthy mental environment is key to prevention... but how? mechanistically can we achieve this?

Are kids safer in a home with a gun or a home with a swimming pool?

-- Modified on 4/18/2007 9:54:13 AM

How about this: A homocidal maniac has no gun, so he kills nobody.  Some NRA fanatic gives him a gun because he thinks it is this maniac's right to have a gun.  Homicidal maniac then kills 22 people.  If there had been no gun, would there have been 22 killings?

than die in hijacked airplanes rammed into skyscapers, I guess that we do not need to worry about that either.

Angry loners are usually among the ones that get screened out.

while on faculty at WSU in the late 1970's I observed that a student there - much a loner, was spurned by a gal.  the dude didn't use no gun... he took out a complete floor of a dorm.   Do you really think taking guns away will prevent homocidal maniacs for achieving their goals?  How many guns did the hijackers on 9-11 use?  Puhlease... people common sense tells me - you don't need no stinking gun to kill lots and lots of people...   you only need the will to kill.

-- Modified on 4/18/2007 8:32:00 PM

irony and sarcasm are lost on you.

sunsword69 - So now your labeling the NRA fanatics? Being under educated is a terrible thing. And if you think not having guns would stop killing you are living in a fantasy world my friend. I guess swords can't kill or bombs can't kill ? Wheres the guns that were used to blow up the twin towers during 911? "God rest their souls" Your just the type that make ridiculous laws that the lawless could care less about . So tell me "senario" Your sleeping in your house in the middle of the night and a armed criminal breaks in with intentions of inflicting harm to you and your family what are you going to do? Call the police so that they can clean up your dead body after the fact? Use a baseball bat against his gun and still be shot? How about arm yourself and protect your family and have the police clean up his blood. I bet you like the last senario if you have any  sense. If not move to Britain where you can be robbed and mugged without any form of protection.

Peace ,
 Colt

blunt sword to bludgeon them to death.