People and Guns

Contrary to the rantings of the NRA and the opinions of a number of people I know, I can't justify private ownership of guns.  Even when used for sport, guns empower their users with the opportunity to make life or death decisions in an instant.  We humans aren't entitled to such power.

But guns aren't the problem, really.  People kill people.  Guns enable, that's all.  Reading the news this morning regarding Cho Seung-Hui, the single individual apparently responsible for the killing rampage, certain words leapt off the page...  Loner.  Angry.  Friendless.  Disturbing behavior.  Troubled.  Depressed.  Medication.  Didn't know him that well.  Signs that this 23 year old man was screaming for help.  Help no one provided.  Not his parents.  Not his roommates.  Not the few people that knew him.  Not his teachers.  Not our enlightened, educated society.  And so on an otherwise unremarkable Monday morning, he took his guns and killed.

Hindsight is always 20/20.  Our history is littered with people who, like Cho, committed horrors impossible to rationalize away.  When will we step up and recognize that people killing people is much like any disease that takes lives with random abandon?  When will we say 'Enough!'?  When will we not turn away?