Survival of the Stupidest

Today, January 8, is the one year anniversary of the shooting rampage which killed 6 people, injured 12, and left a U.S. Congresswoman struggling for her life.

Since that time, the effort to control guns in this country has, if anything, lost ground. Since that heartbreaking moment there has been no progress toward stricter gun laws in America; on the contrary, they've relaxed.

Following the shooting in which an untreated pschizophrenic man with no understandable agenda, killed a 9-yr.old girl, an Arizona Chief Judge, two of Gifford's aides, and three retired workers, and devastated the Congresswoman's life, gun sales in Arizona immediately increased 60%. People expecting stricter legislation began stockpiling their guns. But, worse, within a few months Arizona actually passed legislation loosening gun laws by passing legislation allowing guns on college campuses!?..  And the ability to obtain guns remains the same today as it was before.

In the same month as the Tuscon shooting, (Just in the month of January, 2011 alone!), there were 6 more gun rampages in the United States, which killed 10 innocent people and maimed 14! And on December 8, 2011 there was another terrifying shooting rampage at Virginia Tech University which resulted in the death of two (armed) police officers. I believe that without the force of the NRA, one of the most well-funded and powerful political forces in America, things would be different.

"Guns don't kill people, people kill people," but nothing can kill as many people in so little time. No other weapon can create such an uneven playing field. I do not believe that the way to a more level field is for more Americans to run around with weapons, rather, it is by limiting the number of weapons. A Gallup Poll in 2011 found that 1 in 5 Americans agreed that gun-control laws would prevent rogue shootings. Yet the NRA and conservative groups still argue that gun rights are the most primary symbol of individual rights and feel that gun legislation is federal intervention. I hope they do not benefit from any form of federal assistance, for I find this an unfortunately obviously necessary form of government involvement in today's private life no different than having red lights at traffic intersections!