Twenty-seven innocent people were killed in the Newtown, Conn., tragedy — 20 of those victims were children. In the year since the Newtown shooting, 11,126 people have died from gun violence. This year was marked by 24 mass shootings, which are defined by the FBI as shootings with four or more victims, such as the naval yard shooting [in Washington, D.C.] that killed 13 people. On average, 32 Americans are murdered with guns every day; an estimated eight of those killed are children and teens.
And what is the response from elected officials to all this senseless violence? Well, the U.S. Congress did nothing. Of the less than 60 laws passed in 2013 (a historic low), none dealt with gun reform. Here in North Carolina, the Legislature slashed existing gun control laws, permitting guns on school campuses, playgrounds, restaurants and bars. They limited the ability of law enforcement to restrict multiple handgun permits to individuals and removed concealed-gun permit information from the public record.
Supposing the founders intended citizens to have rights to whatever firearms they desire under the Second Amendment, which is debatable, no right is entirely unfettered. Certainly, one person’s right should not impinge on another’s safety. How many will die before we make common-sense gun reforms to protect our families?
— Sarah Grace Zambon
Fletcher
The children at Newtown were killed by the progressive public policy of gun control and gun free zones. Thanks a lot.
Armed Guard’s Presence Ended Arapahoe School Shooting in 80 Seconds
“On December 15th Breitbart News reported that an armed guard saved students’ lives when Karl Halverson Pierson began firing his shotgun inside Arapahoe High School. As more details emerge, it has become evident that the guard — a county deputy resource officer — did this by running toward the shooter in a way that ended the entire incident in 80 seconds.”
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/12/16/Armed-Guard-s-Presence-Ended-Arapahoe-School-Shooting-In-80-Seconds
Sarah: As a true libera and major, I watched in utter disgust and horror as the US gov’t bombed Iraq’s smaller cities, Baghdad and killed 30,000 in the taking of Baghdad and it’s surroundings in 2003 ( Bush’s admission in 12/2005 was to 30,000 dead Iraqis although the UK’s Lancet stated that 50,000 was closer to the total number slaughtered by the US military ). There is no way I am giving the liars the US gov’t, the Bush Administration, Obama Administration, Congress, or any gov’t the benefit of the doubt as far as personal protection for me and my family and access to firearms. As a left of center advocate and voter, I know what happened to Socialists and Communists in Fascist Italy, France, Yugoslavia, Austria, and Germany during the 1930s through 1945- they were rounded up and largely exterminated. The US is now the world’s most powerful neo- fascist state. You may wish to be unarmed- that is your right- but do not use this gov’t to force your whims on others whose situations are different than you own.
Seems to me that Newtown (and many other tragedies like it) would be better remembered by mental health care reforms.