Letters to the Editor
julietvilla
Published Letters: 1
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Firearms in the USA: Utterly and Completely Out of Control
[Read the article: The world press on Virginia Tech]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I would like to communicate my deep sadness about the horrific killings at Virginia Tech. However, I must agree that until the U.S. government (on both state and federal levels) can somehow reign in the use/abuse of firearms, we will not see an end to the massacres of such brave, accomplished and innocent people.
As a proud American, I feel what is truly lacking in our "right to bear arms" is the lack of "checks and balances" in our current system.
There are many ways we can approach the issue, perhaps by making handguns and automatic weapons available only to law enforcement and gun clubs who are accountable to both their members and to communities in which they reside? All shot guns and hunting/sport rifles could also be registered and monitored by local authorites.
They are all lethal weapons, mainly designed to kill and/or cause serious injury. There are people who use firearms for sport (hunting, skeet, target exercises, etc.) and truly mean no harm by their use. However, the ease at which firearms can be obtained and the countless that have been maimed or killed by criminals and psychopaths should prove that there needs to be more stingent control over their accessibility. I truly feel all firearms must be monitored as controlled substances with the potential for abuse.
As a nation, I agree we should be able to defend ourselves from tyrrany. I also believe that firearms are feats of engineering and I respect those who use them responsibly. However, I do not think they should be so readily available to all.