Last month two more fatal shootings took place on college campuses killing two athletes. A World Junior Track champion at the University of Mississippi and a football player at the University of Kentucky were struck down, with both under the age of 21.
Why? Anger? Some of us are angry every day, or every week. Most of us get angry at least once a month. But I didn’t shoot anybody. You didn’t either. They did. But who are they? Not just the disturbed individuals that shot these young men, but those on other campuses too.
Virginia Tech, University of Washington, Shepherd, Case Western, Arizona Nursing College, Appalachian School of Law and the University of Arkansas all suffered the meaningless loss of life since 2000. At the hands of angry human beings– angry human beings with guns still on our campuses.
Were all of these people certifiably insane? Or, in their weakest moments, did they let anger overtake them when they had guns at their disposal?
While I can’t speak to the specific mental states of these individuals, other to say that they were most certainly past the limits of reason and desperately needed to be in therapy, I can speak to the other major factor in the equation: guns.
The Second Amendment states, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Does this mean we should all have handguns in our homes, with our children, our spouses, our families, our friends?
Before you answer, let me quote you a startling fact– a gun kept in the home is 22 times more likely to be used in an unintentional shooting, criminal homicide or suicide than to injure or kill in self defense. Yes, the ratio is 22 to 1. That means for every burglar, murderer and rapist that is shot in your home, 22 friends, family and children will lose their lives. Because of a debatable interpretation of our countries second amendment. Because of anger. Because of guns.
I used to be a registered gun owner of a collector’s piece. I legally sold my gun to a licensed dealer. If I had a blast furnace, I would have melted it.
After reading the Second Amendment, and educating myself, I couldn’t keep a gun in my home any longer. I used the money to buy better deadbolts.
And now I sleep better.
And safer.
