RE: Gun advocates ignore lessons of Columbine...

The following is in response to the article on Columbian.com, Sunday, April 16, 2006.
As found on Keep and Bear Arms

Heidi Yewman,

It is not my intention to appear to be callous or hard-hearted. But, to put it as gently as possible, you need to get over it. Matters, such as the one on which you contend, always have various angles from which to view them.

Let us move the camera, if you will, and approach the subject from a different point of view. Suppose that any of the people at the school that day, had been armed as is/was constitutionally intended? There would have been a far better chance that Harris and Klebold would have been stopped, and quickly.

I contend that it is, in fact, you that needs to learn the true ‘lesson’ of Columbine.

How many people have died, because of being illegally disarmed or prevented from arming themselves for defense? As a direct result of the shrill cries of people like you who call for perverse governmental controls? Which cries, provides the plausible excuse for government to cross the bounds imposed on it to begin with. It is people like you who dismiss the facts and hold out supposition as truth. You only examine the surface, and neglect the deeper underlying scope of the subject.

One of the main reasons the Framers of the United States Constitution included the enumeration of the Second Amendment Right. Was specifically to enable citizens to deal with such situations as Columbine. And, even more importantly, to be able to ward off a government that has become corrupted and is usurping its authority. For you see, the Founders of our country had directly experienced the tyranny from a corrupt government. And they were keenly aware that absolute power corrupts absolutely. It was the desire of the Framers to ensure that future generations would be able to meet ANY threat to their Freedom and Liberty. From whatever source it may arise!

To illustrate;

"The right of self-defense is the first law of nature; in most governments it has been the study of rulers to confine this right within the narrowest limits possible. Whenever standing armies are kept up, and the right of the people to keep and bear arms is, under any color or pretext whatsoever, prohibited, liberty, if not already annihilated, is on the brink of destruction." - St. George Tucker, Blackstone's Commentaries

It is indisputable fact that, far more people have died at the hands of corrupt governments, than by incidents such as Columbine. Estimates of the total are as high as 170 million, in the last century alone.

The contention, such as that offered by people such as Heidi, are in fact much more of a danger than Harris and Klebold. That type of supposition will be far more deadly than either of them ever could have possibly imagined. Would highly advise that you consider these type matters in a more in depth fashion. For such reasoning, can be a grave error that can lead to very deadly consequences.

Disdainfully,

E. David Quammen
GunShowOnTheNet.com