journal:

Tragedy

By Jonathan Feaster

2007-04-19

Just like everyone, I am absolutely appalled at the tragedy that occurred on the campus at Virginia Tech a few days ago when a gunman opened fire, killing several people. I know that there are deep wounds there that will never heal and my heart goes out to the families of the victims and the Virginia Tech community.

While the details of the incident are still getting sorted out, I can't help but fear that another tragedy will be in the making if common sense is ignored and the right to bear arms comes under attack again. The college I went to was located in Houston's Third Ward and I read many times about violent crimes that occurred on campus. When I would walk at night, I did so with fear that was not uncommon among other students. A vast majority of the incidents that occurred were not crimes by students, but rather, crimes committed by people from the rough neighborhood. Why where these people emboldened to attack students on campus? One explanation could be that guns were prohibited, criminals know that non-criminals obey the law and that unarmed people stand little chance to defend themselves against armed criminals. If it had been legal to carry a weapon there, I would have and I bet that you would have seen the crime rate take a dive on campus and probably in the surrounding area as well. As for the Virginia tragedy; the same incident could have happened when I was in school and it could happen anywhere again. While there are disturbed people everywhere, most people are decent and peaceful people who should be able to defend themselves. Someone who is determined to harm others will try regardless of gun laws but they will only be able to go so far if people are willing and able to practice their natural right to self-defense. To deny people the right to self-defense is to deny them the right to life itself and to deny life is nothing short of true evil.