Gabrielle Giffords, the Democratic Congresswoman from Arizona who was shot by the crazed gunman Jared Loughner, returned to Congress today to cast a vote in the House to help ensure that the recent plan approved by both party leaders would pass. It's amazing she has come back and she looks like she is going to continue on her road to recovery. What continues to escape discussion is the availability of guns in this country.
There is no conceivable reason that a person such as Loughner should be able to get a gun so easily. Seung-Hui Cho, the man behind the Virginia Tech massacre, was also able to get a gun without much effort. Americans have a deep cultural norm that everyone who is not mentally insane or a felon has the right to own any kind of gun they can train for. This is faulty logic. Many claim it is legal and in the constitution. However, that does not address the merits of the argument. It just says that we are legally guaranteed the right. Slavery was also legal at one point and time and no sane person would defend the policy today. The country needs a discussion. And it needs to be honest, and it may piss off the NRA. However, tragedies such as the ones mentioned should cause every thinking person to pause and reflect on the state of our society and how easy it really is to go on a shooting spree.
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