Posted on 07/05/2007 2:06:23 PM PDT by neverdem
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By Kati Whitaker
BBC Radio 4's Crossing Continents
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In the aftermath of the Virginia Tech massacre, many Americans have been campaigning for permission to carry guns in more places, even churches and schools.
"Imagine you are in a restaurant and a mad man is walking around from table to table, pointing a gun, taking aim and pulling the trigger, going to the next person, taking aim, pulling the trigger and so on," says Suzanna Hupp.
"Even if you have chosen not to have a gun with you - don't you hope the guy behind you has one? Just imagine that."
But Suzanna Hupp does not have to imagine.
It was October 1991 when a gunman entered the diner where Suzanna, a Texan chiropractor, was having lunch with her parents.
The man methodically executed 23 people including Suzanna's parents.
Suzanna had a gun. But since Texan state law at the time banned people from carrying guns in public places, she had left it in her car.
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Nobody could have stopped the first couple of murders but it sure wouldn't have been a body bag of 32
Suzanna Hupp
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"My gun was 100 feet away in my car, completely useless to me," she says.
"I was angry at my legislators because they had legislated me out of the right to protect myself and my family."
The massacre was, until Virginia Tech, the largest mass shooting by a single gunman in the US.
Now, in the wake of that tragedy, Suzanna is one of a growing body of Americans campaigning for the availability of more, rather than fewer, guns.
"Nobody could have stopped that guy from the first couple of murders but it sure wouldn't have been a body bag total of 32," she says.
Gun sales
Statistics are hard to come by, but at Saxet Gun Show in Austin Texas, there was plenty of anecdotal evidence to back the claim that since Virginia Tech, more Texans, at least, are now applying for licences to carry guns.
At a huge convention centre in the southern suburbs of Austin, Judith Baker of A Texas Girl's Guns firearm sales company was talking a young woman through the safety features on her new handgun.
"Gun sales have gone up since Virginia Tech. Not just my own sales but many dealers and distributors have also increased their gun sales," she says.
"And we are not just talking men here but I am seeing a lot more women wanting to get their concealed handgun licence.
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HAVE YOUR SAY
Nothing will stop the killing until America changes its attitude to the gun
John, Manchester
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"I am glad to see that women are learning to protect themselves."
Some 48 states in the US issue licences to allow the carrying of concealed weapons to those who pass a background check.
But states vary in their restrictions. Thirty eight states, including Virginia, ban weapons at schools.
In Texas, certain places like churches, courthouses and schools, are designated "gun-free zones".
It is an exception that Texas governor Rick Perry recently challenged with the wholehearted endorsement of campaigners like Suzanna Hupp.
"It is my fervent belief that when legislators create a list of places where people can't carry guns, what they have actually done is create a shopping list for a mad man," he said.
Guns in classes
Andrew Sugg is a student of aviation science at Baylor University at Waco and a member of the newly formed national body Students for Concealed Carry on Campus.
He is spearheading a campaign for students to be allowed to carry concealed firearms into the classroom.
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PROGRAMME INFORMATION
BBC Radio 4's Crossing Continents was broadcast on Thursday, 5 July at 1102 BST
Listen to the programme
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"I actually got angry that Virginia Tech had said 'no you can't have a gun', and here's this incident, the second-largest school shooting in the world and no-one could do anything about it," he says.
"Now, when I walk into my own class, I have to think: 'Where do I want to sit so I can make a quick getaway?'
"I look at my book bag and think: 'What can I throw at someone who comes through the door? What could I do to stall him and let everybody get away or what can I do to stop him from doing this?'."
It is a mindset that is of considerable worry to the campus police force.
Lethal combination?
Baylor University has a dedicated force of 24 police officers who are trained and drilled to respond to a firearms attack such as that at Virginia Tech.
Its chief, James Doak, said that the potential for strife is considerable among its 14,000 18-to-22 years-olds - whether it is stress of exams, girlfriend problems or simply hot tempers.
Add guns to the equation and the combination could be lethal.
"We cannot rely on students who have not been drilled in these situations to respond properly. Would they freeze up? Would they have a sense of terror in their hearts so they respond inappropriately?" he says.
"Our officers have a level of life experience which students can't possibly have at the age of 21 or 22."
But like many other Americans, Mr Sugg points to the Second Amendment, the right to keep and bear arms, as a fundamental justification for his position.
"Guns are to me a freedom, that is what won us our freedom during the revolutionary war and we've had them ever since," he says.
BBC Radio 4's Crossing Continents was broadcast on Thursday, 5 July 2007 at 1102 BST.
It will be repeated on Monday, 9 July 2007 at 2030 BST.
Garbage. Training and range practice as CCW pre-requists would provide for the experience level and maturity that would have prevented a VT massacre.
And what of the 21 and 22 year olds currently serving us in the Middle East??? LEO bias against armed law-abiding citizens...
The anti-defense people can never know this. It would be sad enough if they just left it at that, and exercised their right to not defend themselves or their loved ones. Curiously, they transfer their fear of violence into a hatred of even defensive weapons, even far beyond what they should rightly feel for evil people who do evil things. In this projection and confusion they seek safety and satisfaction in knowing their signs and prohibitions will make them feel better, which they confuse with real safety.
They would rather we all might be a victim than to allow themselves or anyone else any defense than being able to call 911 (and maybe die).
Those pushing for "gun free zones" should be proud of VA Tech. They accomplished what they wanted! People were not afforded the most basic natural right, self-defense.
Recall he didn't so much "enter", as "drove through the window".
My 15 year old grandson has more training than many cops, and shows more maturity.
Some emergencies mean you need a fire extinguisher.. NOW.
Some emergencies mean you need a firearm... NOW.
The armed and well trained LAW abiding citizen is part of the solution. Not part of the problem.
SO frustrating.
Not exactly a ringing endorsement, is it?
I bought a new Springfield .45 ACP the Friday after VT.
Only the continued right to carry and own will keep us free. If you don’t belong, join now.
The NRA, that is.
Your 15 year old grandson is not afflicted with the delusions of godhood that all too many LEO's seem to be encumbered with. Too many of them think that their badges make them lawmakers in addition to law enforcers and they make things up as they go along. Naturally, you can sort the tyrants from the good guys because the good guys TRUST the people who employ them while the tyrants want to rule a disarmed populace.
At least the most recent Legislature has upped the number of people who can carry in the restricted zones to include “active judicial officers” - i.e., judges, including muny court judges like me. Makes me all warm and fuzzy!
Meanwhile, the senate is busy working on eliminating the first and second amendments.
That may or may not be true. Either way, it's irrelevant. It doesn't mean a responsible, law abiding 21 year old is not fully capable of carrying and using a firearm safely.
If you consider "Computer Simulation" a facet of training, most civilians have likely racked up more hours in practice than many government subsidized agents.
In addition, much of that "training" occurs in the form of First Person Shooters(FPS)s. Individuals who play these are "trained" to actually shoot a human and follow through to a kill. Just sayin'...
How can I resist?
Do you believe in term limits for Congress?
Despite a recent House vote against it, talk radio is still being threatened by the resurrection of the Fairness Doctrine. With the near evisceration of McCain - Feingold Campaign Finance Reform Act by the Supreme Court and the failure of the comprehensive "Shamnesty" in the Senate, the neoCOMs will be pushing harder for the Fairness Doctrine. Call talk radio. Use that as an opening to push for a Constitutional Amendment to give Congress term limits.
Yes that’s it.
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