"Virginia Gun Insanity;" AK-47s in Fairfax

By: Lowell
Published On: 5/10/2006 7:44:56 AM

According to the blog, X Curmudgeon:

Yesterday, Virginia's gun insanity hit home in dramatic fashion when a disturbed teenager, who'd escaped from a mental institution a couple weeks earlier, used an AK-47 assault rifle and other weapons to attack Fairfax County police, killing a female detective (with two elementary school age children) and seriously wounding another officer.

Good point.  Why on earth does anyone need an AK-47 (yeah, yeah, I know those deer can be vicious and all...), and how does someone in a mental institution procure one (along with a bunch of other guns)?

As "Curmudgeon" correctly notes:

In a sane society, the seller of such a weapon would face at least the possibility of ruinous civil damages if he/she was in any way negligent in selling such a powerful weapon to someone.

But NOT in Virginia. Nope. We probably shouldn't even bother tracking down the info, because there's practically nothing that can be done. Viriginia lawmakers continue to make it easy to buy guns, to buy multiple guns, and to conceal guns. They protect gun sellers from liability. In fact, a gun seller has GREATER protection against lawsuits than the average citizen. Is that SANE?

A few police officers dead? Children orphaned? Who cares--gol-darn-it, we're talking the second amendment here!



Good points.  Who cares about a few police officers, as long as citizens have the right to buy any firearm they want, whenever they want, with only the most cursory of background checks (if any)?  This is pathetic.  But will it be changing anytime soon?  Ha!  You must be kidding!  As "Curmudgeon" writes:

The saddest part is that even with such a brazen attack on police, the GOP-led Virginia assembly won't even THINK about doing anything different.

Nosireebob.  This is, according to the defenders of "assault weapons for everyone," the slipperiest of slippery slopes.  Take away the right of people to own certain types of guns - for instance, high-powered assault rifles that belong in the military but not with deranged 18 year olds - and next thing you know, "they" will be taking ALL your guns away from you.  Yep, as sure as day follows night.  Same thing with stricter background checks on gun buyers.  Seriously, now, if "they" start looking into the backgrounds of potential gun buyers, who knows what they'll find - maybe even that damn speeding ticket or DWI arrest a few years back. 

As always, The Simpsons nails this issue, in hilarious but true fashion.  Here's Homer Simpson and a gun shop operator:

Homer: Oh, I don't need anything like that...yet. Just give me my gun!
Gun Shop Owner (begins wrestling with Homer for the gun): Sorry pal. The law requires a five day waiting period. We've got to do a background check.
Homer: Five days?! But I'm mad now! (gun shop owner pulls Homer's gun out of his hands) I'd kill you if I had my gun!
Gun Shop Owner (calm): Yeah, well, ya don't.
Homer: How can I go five days without shooting something? (the song "The Waiting" by Tom Petty begins playing as several potential targets go by during the five days)
Gun Shop Owner (five days later): Let's take a look at your background check. It says here you were in a mental hospital...
Homer: Yup.
Gun Shop Owner: ...frequent problems with alcohol...
Homer: Oh yeah.
Gun Shop Owner: ...beat up President Bush.
Homer: Former president. (the gun shop owner puts a stamp on Homer's forms) "Potentially dangerous"?!
Gun Shop Owner: Relax. It just limits you to three handguns or less.
Homer: Whoo-hoo!
Homer: I don't have to be careful! I've got a gun!
Homer: I would like to buy your deadliest gun, please.
Gun Shop Owner: Aisle 6, next to the sympathy cards.

[...]

Homer: It's a handgun. Isn't it great? This is the trigger, and this is the thing you point at whatever you want to die. (points at the barrel)

Yep, that pretty much sums up the situation.  Unfortunately, the disturbed 18-year-old in Fairfax was "mad now" the other day, and as a result, Detective Vicky O. Armel, mother of two young children, is now dead (and another officer is critically wounded).  All this, despite the fact that we're all supposed to be SAFER - if you listen to the NRA et al. - if everyone had guns.  Well, excuse me, but Armel and the other officer all had guns, and what happened to them?  So much for THAT theory!

Comments



related to this --- (teacherken - 5/10/2006 7:59:14 AM)
the policeman who almost died and is still in critical condition goes to church with my wife.  That community of course is in a state of shock, as was my Quaker meeting when Tom Fox was kidnapped, and later when we learned of his death.

In each of these instances we realize how interconnected our lives are with those around the world who undergo violence and tragedy.



Minority Power (K - 5/10/2006 8:31:58 AM)
Reliable polls all indicate that the majority of Americans (even Virginians) believes in at least a little gun control. The majority believes crazy people and those with criminal records shouldn't be able to buy guns. The majority believes nobody shuld be able to buy an AK-47 (not even to defend against terrorist Bambis).

So why do we continue reading about horrifying tragedies such as this one? Because of the power of the NRA minority, that's why. They're loud bullies, and they scare the bejeezus out of politicians. Hell, have you ever heard of a Virginia Democrat who spoke even timidly of some sort of gun control who actually won an election? Nope, that can't happen here.

Bullies win in America when decent people are silent. That's why crazy kids go wild with AK-47s. That's why gay kids suffer verbal and physical abuse in schools. That's why ... well, you can fill in lots of blanks about why lots of things happen because decent people won't stand up and take control.



Minority Power (K - 5/10/2006 8:41:24 AM)
Reliable polls all indicate that the majority of Americans (even Virginians) believes in at least a little gun control. The majority believes crazy people and those with criminal records shouldn't be able to buy guns. The majority believes nobody shuld be able to buy an AK-47 (not even to defend against terrorist Bambis).

So why do we continue reading about horrifying tragedies such as this one? Because of the power of the NRA minority, that's why. They're loud bullies, and they scare the bejeezus out of politicians. Hell, have you ever heard of a Virginia Democrat who spoke even timidly of some sort of gun control who actually won an election? Nope, that can't happen here.

Bullies win in America when decent people are silent. That's why crazy kids go wild with AK-47s. That's why gay kids suffer verbal and physical abuse in schools. That's why ... well, you can fill in lots of blanks about why lots of things happen because decent people won't stand up and take control.



The NRA headquarters is right down the road... (Tom Joad (Kevin) - 5/10/2006 10:37:07 AM)
from the shooting. I'm wondering if there could be some sort of rally against the NRA on their home turf?


you guys always make me laugh (enraged - 2/27/2007 1:20:32 AM)
I have to laugh at all of the anti-guuners always blasting the nra and freaking out about so called assault weapons, and any weapons for that matter. Crimes committed with assualt weapons are the lowest gun related crimes committed. I doubt any of you have fired an AK-47 or ever had to put your life on the line with a firearm in your hands. Yes it is sad that it happened. But I can tell you more people die in car accidents a year in this country than by firearms so do we stop selling cars and crack down on car dealers? yeah that makes sense.  Yet i never hear people complaining about that. Before you go blasting about va and gun laws you'd be better off understanding firearms and knowing how to shoot.  But hey if you want to be a crime victem or statistic thats fine by me. You wont see me become one. Remember people ignorance and complacency kill.