[MD] Virginia Tech Massacre

[Laird Bedore]

Hi Ron,

I don't think there's any amount of preventative action that will 'cure' 
any society from the occasional 'extremely divergent' doing something 
awful like the VT shootings. When someone is sufficiently far enough off 
the track, it doesn't matter what weapons are available - they will use 
whatever they can get their hands on. If we banned all guns, we'd see a 
machete attack. If we banned all blades, we'd see a spear or other such 
pointy-stick attack. If we banned all sticks, we'd still see someone 
poking everyones' eyes out with their fingers. We can limit the tools 
all we like, but the underlying impetus remains, undeterred in its 
course of action. Outreach programs help, though I doubt they can ever 
be perfect. There's no telling how many similar events have not occurred 
thanks to the intervention of such programs. It's unfortunate we can so 
easily count the failures but not the successes.

Keep in mind the same divergent seedlings that lead some people to 
violence also lead others to inspiration or invention. The dynamic urge 
to stray from the norms is a necessary trait of our humanity, though 
extremes such as this do not always lead to good endings.

Back to the gun ban idea, what of consequence? If our reaction is to ban 
guns, do we not trade a degree of biological safety for reduced social 
(and arguably intellectual) freedoms? One of the most pivotal 
cornerstones of American government is the right of the people to 
overthrow its government if it becomes irreparably corrupt. By banning 
the tools necessary, we concede this right and thus reduce the 
intellectual oversight we have placed upon our social institution. The 
standard 'slippery slope' argument follows ad nauseum.

-Laird

> [Ron]
> Would tougher gun control laws or banning guns all together stopped this
> sort of violence?
>
> Would outreach programs stopped this sort of violence?
>
> Or is it a question of a "crazy straw" gene and just try not be in these
> peoples way
> When they go off?
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