It is a great tragedy for US. Hope Ismail Ax does not convey something more sinister. Like we souls express deep sympathy for the dead in US, we would have expected similar sympathies for gun totting youngsters dressed in US uniforms in Iraq and elsewhere. Shooting innocent people be it in villages of Afghanistan or Iraq or Virginia is a crime against humnanity. It shows deep racial divide amoung the world citizens. I don't think this deep rooted prejudice will go away in the next 100 years. Till then sane people can only hope for the best.
I am afraid your Indian readers do not appreciate that Americans are a free people because they have the constitutional right to bear arms.
No tyrannical govt. can hope to take over a country where the citizens possess means to defend themselves.
In the UK all subjects were permitted to own a shotgun without licence until 1917 when the peasants in proto-USSR rebelled and took over the govt. -- the English aristocracy immediately clamped down on gun ownership then.
RE:Gun ownership and freedom
by indian on Apr 18, 2007 09:03 AM Permalink
That's what have many citizens from other countries are asking why the gun carrying thing should be enshrined in the constitution.
Being a free people is not a right Mr.Shahryar Pax, it is a duty. Now, if a country is free, why should the citizens be allowed to carry guns, other than for extreme conditions
RE:Gun ownership and freedom
by Jitesh Krishnan on Apr 18, 2007 10:04 AM Permalink
Posses means to defend themselves and also to KILL ..like it happened in Virginia Tech..33 students..My Gosh, isn't that short sightedness on the part of a Government. SHould we appreciate the fact that tommorow anyone could get shot at..just because government says it's alright to own guns..Imagine how easy it is to take a life. just using the muscles of your index finger and someone's dead..Why not govt let them obtain nuclear weapons as well..I'm sure a lot of ppl have the capoability to buy them. Why does US restrain nuclearization of other countries??The same reason shoule be applied to people!!!!!
We have a democracy as well..and America acknowledges that..We have better freedom than the Americans..Infrastructure sucks but that's alright..We are on our way to glory!!!
May the soul of all those who perished rest in peace. Being an former student myself, I feel sorry for what happened in VT. This is a day of mourning and should not be used to politicize the issue as some of the comments reflect. Please spend a minute praying for the family members who lost a loved one.
RE:Homage to the victims of VT
by simransingh on Apr 18, 2007 07:31 AM Permalink
We are all sorry for the victims and mourned since 2 days. On a discussion board we have to discuss why it happens. This is not politicizing issues. This is addressing issues so such things dont happen again and we dont have to mourn again.
RE:Homage to the victims of VT
by anup soans on Apr 18, 2007 08:10 AM Permalink
In their death, Minal & Loganathan have raised important questions we all must answer -- What is the purpose of life?
RE:Homage to the victims of VT
by simransingh on Apr 18, 2007 08:53 AM Permalink
I would ask - Is it worth going to US to study or teach or live when life is so cheap there?
Giving the right to anyone above 21 to possess guns is the most bizarre thing one can imagine.
George Bush attacked Iraq, accusing it for possesing weapons of mass destruction. Is a semi automatic pistol in the hands of students and civilians, a weapon of minor destruction? Why do anyone living in a civilized society need a gun? At the least why is the gun sales not regulated and license laws not made stringent?
My condolences for the two losses from India first since I am in this forum and also for the rest of the victims. Rediff, you had a very insensitive, stupid and thoughtless headline yesterday. "Indians are safe". Talking about guns, I believe there should always be armed security/cctv on campus to minimize or eradicate this evil menace. And why do you have to just point a finger at USA for the gun culture? Dont we have guns in Palestine/Israel and the Middle East? Dont some groups in India have guns? Ask the victims who have been murdered in Kashmir, the victims who were gunned down by Naxalites, and the list goes on. GUNS DONT KILL PEOPLE!! PEOPLE WITH GUNS KILL PEOPLE!!
RE:Guns dont kill people. People with guns kill people
by simransingh on Apr 18, 2007 07:28 AM Permalink
Ofcourse people with guns kill. Dont say the obvious. Guns dont go about walking on their own and killing people. But people "buy" guns easily in the USA and if you insist maybe Israel. If people did not have easy access to guns those guns wouldnt fire 33 people yesterday.
Criminals posess guns illegally in other countries and law enforcement officials have them. If civilians start possessing, what is the message - just go about firing anyone?
RE:Guns dont kill people. People with guns kill people
by anup soans on Apr 18, 2007 08:04 AM Permalink
You can take a man out of the city, but how do you take the city out of a man ... goes the refrain of a pop-song. In the same way, you can put guns out reach of people, but how do you take out the madness of hatred that propels one to kill innocent people? Till we discover the answer to that BIG Q, we'll only we advocating half-measures. The history of mankind is full of hate crimes -- some used clubs to kill, now it's easier to get guns. The problem is not with the clubs or with guns -- it's in the heart of man. A man determined to express his hatred will always find the means to kill -- with clubs or guns. That is not to say that gun control is not necesary. It certainly is, if only to reduce the magnitude of the tragedy like the one on Virginia Tech. But alongside, society must address the issue of hatred. Colleges must not only teach hi-tech but also teach and practice hi-touch (REAL & RESPONSIBLE LOVE)to overcome the ever present evil of hatred that lurks in every un-redeemed human heart.
RE:RE:Guns dont kill people. People with guns kill people
by BLKMKC on Apr 18, 2007 07:33 AM Permalink
You did not read part of the message which said that there should have been armed personnel on campus. I did not say that each student should have been armed. Now if we have to argue about guns, than the next thing someone will say is to ban cars. Remember the Iranian murderer who ran over a few in NC?
RE:Guns dont kill people. People with guns kill people
by simransingh on Apr 18, 2007 07:35 AM Permalink
Oh come on now...you cant compare guns to cars.
RE:Guns dont kill people. People with guns kill people
by Shahryar Pax on Apr 18, 2007 07:41 AM Permalink
why not? more people are killed by cars then by guns!
RE:Guns dont kill people. People with guns kill people
by BLKMKC on Apr 18, 2007 07:44 AM Permalink
If you ban guns, people'll still get them in the black market. Look at where the War on Drugs has led USA. People still go out and buy drugs and get away with it.
RE:Guns dont kill people. People with guns kill people
by Ganesan Ramanathan on Apr 18, 2007 08:17 AM Permalink
Civilians need to carry guns if the police or security is weak. Allowing civilians to possess guns is a slap on the face of American police.
the problem is that many people get weapons of all kinds including gun illegally! in the black market! its true something serious has to be done otherwise this bloodshed would continue! i pray for the family who has lost their loved ones! may their souls rest in peace and may something so gross like this never happens!
These werent illegally purchased. In USA the law permits possessing guns.Anyone can have guns. Such is the cave law. There is an association called NRA - National Rifles Association that has such a strong control over US Govt, the constitutional ammendment of not permitting possessing and using guns by civilians does not seem like will be made anytime soon.
RE:illegal weapons!
by on Apr 18, 2007 07:51 AM Permalink
I think if you are not Indian citizen, its better you do not interfere in our matters, coz u make thinks worse.
What a pity. You can't make it to higher education in India due to the reservation policy. So you go to US only to be shot. Is'nt it a Catch22 for us Indians?
RE:Catch 22
by simransingh on Apr 18, 2007 07:25 AM Permalink
Then fight reservations. Wipe it out. Its easier said than done but we can try. It is better than being shot and leaving parents to fulfill last rites. Its horrible.
US has a cave law. They assume police cannot protect law abiding citizens and hence anyone can possess guns. Their constitution permits this. Easy access to ammunition makes psychos implement their evil intentions. The gun control lobby in USA is so strong, no number of deaths can change these bizarre laws. And US claims to be a democracy!
RE:US Cave Laws
by Ananth N on Apr 18, 2007 07:31 AM Permalink
Simran, Though I dont agree with bunty below comparing Sikh carnage with this ridiculous and horrible act of this south korean, we need to keep in mind the professional way how law is enforced by US. Policemen cannot do much if govt allows guns and ammunition to be made available legally in such an easy manner. As you have rightly mentioned, the gun control lobby in USA is so strong, and the only way to control this menace is by bringing in stringent law that makes the access / purchase of weapons and ammunition difficult for citizens.
