Quote:
Originally posted by True_Moose:
It seems to me that when you're talking about situations like this, a gun debate is almost a zero sum equation. I'll preface this by saying I am very pro-gun control. However, in this case, there is almost no doubt that had some of the students been armed, the rampage would've been stopped. On the other hand, putting more guns out there increases the likelihood that more people who are like the killer would be able to get ahold of them. Who knows how many potential school shooters are deterred by problems getting ahold of guns? Obviously there are no statistics, but I would imagine that, even in states with very few gun possession laws, people are deterred by those meagre laws from committing similar acts.
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Already on the BBC new last night (TV), there were reports of a statment made by the NRA (IIRC, it was one of the big US pro-gun groups) saying that if everyone was armed then this wouldn't have happened, and saying this kind of thing has happened in other western countries.
I suppose that that is true in the instant case, but student+guns would be a terrible combination. It may stop mass-murders should everyone be armed but it would I think increase the rate of individual killing and accidents would go through the roof. Anyway, this isn't the place for this debate and it has been hammered out here many times before.
My thoughts and sympathies go to all those affected by this.