lizzybennet | (no subject)

Chris went to grad school at the Univ. of Arizona. We lived less than a mile from where the shooting took place and have been to that particular shopping center on more than one occasion. Chris was an adjunct at Pima Comm. College, where the shooter went to school.

At the time we lived in Tucson, there was a shooting at the Univ. in the nursing school. A failing student shot three of his professors and then himself. I haven't heard anyone mention the most recent tragedy in connection with the nursing school shooting, but in my opinion this speaks very loudly about the need for better gun control laws in Arizona. I know. They won't stand to hear of such things. We knew people out there who had oodles of guns, including automatic weapons. There is still a certain feel of "the wild west" out there, with the desert always reminding you that you live in a place where humans don't really belong.

This shooting is a tragedy. There's no question about it. But I hope we can learn something from this, as a society. I wish we could stop the poisonous, negative rhetoric and just learn to work together.

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I totally agree with you.

Criminals are going to get guns no matter how stringent our gun laws are.

How do we keep them out of the hands of the mentally ill? We can also follow England: all persons who have mental illnesses are registered. Even if you are agoraphobic or depressed (regardless of how bad), you have to be registered with the government; employers are allowed to have that information as it's become part of their background checks.

I don't want to have to register with the government because I'm on meds for depression and anxiety disorder. I'm not a threat with a gun; but I want to have the right to have one. Especially after our break in. One of the sheriffs who worked our case told us about how one man caught a guy breaking in. He pulled his gun on the thief and held him in place until the police arrived. He didn't need to use it; but it was there as protection (real protection).

I think the sad thing is that one truly sick person can ruin just about everything for everyone. Look at how Muslims are looked at now because of 9/11.

Anyway, I'll hop down off my soap box.

Pima CC was the CC my mom worked at when she lived in Tucson. She taught GED and ESL there. (Oh, did I tell you that one of her current students in the CC in St. Charles tried to jump! They talked him down luckily. Her stories of her GED students are pretty bad. Scary even.)

I'm not saying people shouldn't have guns. It is part of our constitution that we are allowed to bare arms and I feel that is one of our guaranteed rights. But I do think there should be limits. For example, right now Arizona is considering legislation that will allow people to carry guns onto school campuses. Is that really necessary? In Arizona, people are allowed to carry concealed weapons. That guy next to you in line at the grocery store might have a gun under his coat. Isn't that just a little extreme? To me it is.

Sarah's parents both have concealed weapons permits. I think my dad does too, but I'm not sure. I know he has a gun permit but I think he can't have it tucked under his coat.

I think the real problem is how to keep the guns out of the crazy people's hands. Because the sane people aren't the ones who will pull a gun out in line at the grocery store. However, I'd certainly be happy if a guy with a concealed gun was in line with me and a crazy man came in with his gun and the sane guy pulled his and saved us all.

Granted there were a lot more reasons back in ye olde days to carry guns while you were out and about. And sure, I think having an automatic weapon tucked in your shoulder holster is a bit extreme (okay a lot extreme).

UF is so strict with their "weapons" policy that kitchen knives, like ones you use to cut your steak with are forbidden on campus. So if you bring your lunch you gotta eat with some plastic wear. That, to me is also extreme.