Reaction to Virginia Tech Shooting

Yesterday's massacre at Virginia Tech has me feeling plenty of emotions, some which are conflicting others. Besides the sorrow and sympathy felt towards the victims' families and friends, however, my main reaction to this tragedy is one of trying to maintain a semblance of perspective.

It's obvious and even understandable that there would be a strong gun-control reaction. My question is: would it had made a difference if ownership of firearms were illegal in this country? Does repealing the Second Amendment change the story here?

No. And No.

As someone who has never owned a firearm, I respect and support the Second Amendment. I do, however, think that there needs to be greater scrutiny and more comprehensive background checks for those purchasing firearms. The killer at Virginia Tech had a history of mental illness. Do we sell a gun to someone like that? I don't think we should.

In the end, imposing gun control would not prevent what happened yesterday from happening again. It doesn't even ensure lower societal crime rates, as evidenced in Great Britain. All gun control would prevent is you and I from having the ability to protect ourselves in the event a lone psychopath such as the guy who went on yesterday's killing spree decides that life has been too unfair and takes it out on innocent people.

Virginia Tech, like most campuses nationwide, are firearm-free zones. Didn't do much good yesterday.

The simple, sad fact is: preventing the vast majority of law-abiding citizens from owning guns will absolutely, positively ensure that the ONLY people possessing guns will be the bad guys. Does that really make us any safer?