Thoughts on the Virginia Tech Massacre, or
When Will Congress Admit Its Culpability?
By John Ross

Copyright 2007 by John Ross. Electronic reproduction of this article freely permitted provided it is reproduced in its entirety with attribution given.

In the wake of Mr. Cho's murderous and suicidal rampage which left 32 good people and himself dead, my phone started ringing with reporters and others asking my opinion as to how this might change or affect the gun debate. One man emailed me a link to a quote from my cousin, novelist Jane Smiley, posted on Patriot Post:

"[I]n Bush’s response to [the Virginia Tech] shooting... he said he was shocked and saddened. Then he said everyone has the right to bear arms. He wouldn’t want to let any of those NRA-types imagine for a second that any amount of senseless killing could possibly shake his commitment to a fully-armed populace."
—novelist Jane Smiley

Jane, that' s just the problem. Bush doesn't have a commitment to an armed populace at all, let alone a fully armed one. If Bush had such a commitment, he would be giving his all to repealing the law that paved the way to give Mr. Cho the opportunity to murder 32 people: The Federal Gun-Free School Zone Act.

The GFSZA is an absolute guarantee to anyone contemplating mass murder that the best place to rack up a big score will be an elementary or secondary (high) school. Isn't that obvious? Why do you suppose we never see mass murders happening at military bases, police stations, or shooting ranges?

After a different school shooting last year, Missouri Governor Matt Blunt said something like "Maybe we should look into arming teachers" and was roundly ridiculed by the press for the supposed notion of compelling teachers to carry guns. Pity that Mr. Blunt couldn't have been more precise in his comment and said "Maybe forcing every decent person in the school to be defenseless when an armed murderer shows up is not such good policy after all. Maybe we should let any teachers with concealed carry licenses carry at school if they want to."

As one astute reader named Alan (no last name) pointed out, the GFSZA does not apply to colleges and other higher-level educational facilities. However, because of the federal government's ill-considered "lead" on this issue, many colleges and universities prohibit guns on campus, and provide serious consequences (firing, expulsion) for faculty and students that violate this policy.

Virginia law permits CCW holders and some others to have guns on campus. VaTech policy, however, does not. Last year a bill which would have overridden such policies was killed in committee thanks largely to lobbying by the VaTech administration. Information on this can be found here http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/wb/xp-50658 .

Most telling was the comment from VaTech Spokesman Larry Hincker:

"I'm sure the university community is appreciative of the General Assembly's actions because this will help parents, students, faculty and visitors feel safe on our campus."

Note how -- like all such measures -- it wasn't about safety, but about a feeling of safety.

As Alan said, "I can't help but wonder how safe 'parents, students, faculty and visitors' feel now."

Mightn't it be a good idea, when considering legislation or policy, to consider the overall effect to both people who are willing to obey the law or policy, and people who are not? If you generally obey laws, especially ones that are a felony to violate, or get you fired or expelled, you'll not ever have a gun for self-defense at a school. If you are willing (eager, even) to commit murder and suicide, what effect will a "No Guns at School" law have on you?

It will gladden your heart! It will let you rack up a score of breathtaking proportions before you need to put the last round in your own head. That'll show 'em!

But if people at a school are allowed to have an effective, legal means to defend themselves, mightn't some of them actually decide to exercise that right? How would that be for the Mr. Chos of the world? Of the hundreds of decent people in the library, cafeteria, dorm, gym, lecture halls, etc. at VaTech, mightn't just one of them have been able to shoot Mr. Cho after seeing him kill his first few victims?

How many more school shootings do we need before this light bulb goes on over our legislators' and policymakers' heads?
John Ross 4/24/2007

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