KEY POINTS:
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Keith - UK
The USA only has to look at the UK for failed gun control laws. These effectively have no affect on deterring gun related crime and drug gangland killings. Keep your right to self defence guns and take no notice of the wooly headed knee jerk liberals.
Mike
Had the Japanese landed on your shores, they would have forced your ancestors at bayonet-point to rethink the foolish notion that "fear" is our greatest enemy. The right to keep and bear arms separates citizens from serfs. The serfs fear, and beg their King (government) to keep them safe.Kings do not have a good history of keeping their people safe. A few deranged people should not establish national policy for a nation of over 300,000,000 people.
Sheryl (Florida, USA)
Hi, We don't need stricter gun laws, we need to see the warning signs when they are right in front of our faces. His English Professor knew and she tried to intervene but the police said they can't do anything until he hurts someone....daaahh....he has now killed 32 people. Hello? We can never know what would happen, thats impossible. But don't make it harder for the everyday law abiding citizen to obtain some protection from these types, it's not fair. I want to be able to protect my family and myself from nut jobs like him.
Kevin Hefferan
Where lies the problem? Consider this: America is infatuated with violence, particularly involving guns. Why is this so? Simply turn on the television or scan the list of new movies. Most of these forms of entertainment center around violence and guns. In addition, we have the Bush Administration running and gunning around the world in pursuit of oil and money. At the same time, the NRA bankrolls politicians of both parties so that while school violence is condemned no one raises the widespread availability of guns or suggest gun control lest they be attacked of politicizing the tragedy. 33 dead? That is a typical day in Baghdad thanks to our inept leadership. Americans need to change with respect to what we consider entertainment as well as our view of responsible foreign policy. Neither of these changes will occur soon sadly.
Danny Overton
I think the families should band together and sue VT for forcing the students to be ready unarmed victims for every "nutbag" that decides he wants to be on the news. The policy of not allowing self defense weapons to be carried (concealed carry) is obviously faulty. If just a few students and or faculty had been armed this never would have happened. Why do you think these murdering bastards pick these places? Because they know before hand that there will be a ready "Flock Of unarmed unprotected pigeons" to prey on! It was not nor never will be the guns fault. Those guns did not get up, load themselves, stroll down to campus and go on a killing spree. Mr. Cowardly Murderer is the one who killed all those unarmed, unprotected, students. Oh, I forgot, Mr. Murderer was a poor "Disturbed" individual. Mommy and daddy didn't love him enough or they loved him too much, or...what ever....NO!!! Mr. Murderer was a cowardly killer. He was such a wimp he killed himself rather than face the consequences of his actions. A calculated move to make sure the media portrays "him" as a victim too! Bull. He is a piece of crap cowardly murderer who deserves no sympathy. I am happy and proud to a concealed carry permit holder. I will not be someones victim or a statistic. You all should do the same!
Ty
All I have to say, if you want to post something, learn to spell.
Charles Jensen
This is evidence of what happens when we limit guns on campuses and other public places. If we allowed, even better, required everyone on campus to be armed this would never have happened. Sure, the mass killer might have gotten a few by way of surprise, but soon return fire would have silenced him after just a half dozen killings. Granted, with everyone armed on campus, a few fire-fights will break out on a daily basis, especially after football games or the bars close, but hey, a few thousand dead per year is a small price to pay to be able to say "the student died from a gunshot wound, but he died doing what he loved to do...laying down return fire."
John
Just because an unstable individual used a gun to kill 32 people doesn't mean we need stronger gun control. An individual can just as easily kill 32 people by running a van into a crowded bus station. Gun opponents jump on any opportunity they get. Look at it this way. We made drugs illegal and a lot of good that did. Drugs run rampant. All gun control does is take away the rights of law abiding citizens. Everyone is so quick to point the finger at the scapegoat. It's easy to blame the gun. So much harder it is to blame the people who raised the kid. So much harder it is to blame the students who alienate the kid. So much harder it is to blame our culture. We are a morally bankrupt society and no one has the courage to admit it. Instead, we blame the gun and go back to our prime time television, ignoring our children in the other room playing Grand Theft Auto learning the valuble lesson that if we want something, all we have to do is shoot someone for it. That's right, it's the gun's fault, not the fact that you are an absentee landlord when it comes to raising your kids.
Michael
Why do so many of you people think that your opinions on gun control laws in the U.S. is any of your business? Do we tell you how to run your governments? The gun control laws in the U.S. only concern the American citizens whose right to bear arms is guaranteed under our constitution. Did you ever stop to consider why we have these laws? Our country has never been sucessfully invaded by another country because of our gun laws. Can your country say the same? Or will you want us bad Americans to come and bail you out when some aggressive country invades you and your military is overrun. We are the most giving nation on the planet and if things are so bad here why does everyone want to come to America? Concentrate on your own deficiencies before you criticise others. Your prays are welcome,your rhetoric is not!
Gail
Stricter gun laws is not the answer. That only takes guns out of good people's hands. Do you honestly think people who do these kind of things care anything about our "laws". If a person has it in them to kill, they will think nothing about how to go about getting the means to do it. This guy probably could have just as easily made some kind of explosive device to do as much if not more damage. I'm sorry, but you insist on taking God out of everything. There will be something that has to fill that void.
Cheryl W
Who bought guns to this country in the first place?
Tom
I'm in the US. As long as the NRA (National Rifle Association) can buy our politicians, none of us can ever feel safe.
Beth
As an American, I do not hold the people of South Korea responsible, I don't look at the shooter as a South Korean. I look at him as a human being who turned into a monster. He could have easily been of any nationality or race. The people of South Korea are not responsible and should feel no shame for an act committed by this sick, sick man. I'm not sure that there is anything to blame. This individual was obviously mentally ill and disturbed. I know that in the days to come, everyone will be trying to figure out the warning signs (and there were warning signs) and why this wasn't prevented. But realistically, how could anyone foresee something as horrendous as this. This mass shooting is unprecedented and unimaginable. My thoughts and prayers are with the school, victims, families and law enforcement.
o2psd4me
Who's to blame? There is only one person to blame and that is the shooter!
Ben
As a kiwi living in England for the past 10 years, I am embarrassed to read such one sided and racist comments from other kiwis, from a country who call themselves a peaceful and accepting nation.
Darryl Ashton
As a New Zealand Resident I disagree with all other NZers in respect to America deserving it. I don't think anyone deserved anything as horrible as that. I would like to send my condolences to all involved to all those people that went through that ordeal. All the people who have lost friends, and to all the familys that have lost anyone my thoughts are with you all. God Bless America.
Bev
The shootings are horrific and I feel for everyone involved. Maybe the University can start lobbying to change the gun laws. If not, this tragedy will keep on happening. I know the gun lobby is very powerful but where is the common sense. I would blame the gun lobby and laws that allow guns to be sold like lollies.
Mark
Rack up another 31 (possibly 32) for the NRA. I've fired guns, have gone hunting on occasion and I see the need for the second amendment. But in the colonial days arms were muskets and single shot pistols. Killing 31 people in the space of 15 minutes was impossible. Today with automatic weapons these things are too dangerous. Control means control, not elimination. I understand that in Virgina you can buy a handgun at any time. This means a felon, past murderer or psycho can get a gun without question. Given todays violent culture , I don't think the founding fathers would object to some control.If the NRA was talking about muskets, I would be on their side. But I have two kids in college and I didn't raise them to be targets to people exercising their 2nd amendment rights. It is way past time to review this matter. The constitution was meant to be flexible. That's way there are amendments. Unfortunately, we don't have politicians with enough backbone to take on the NRA. I guess I'll have to go buy a gun to protect myself.
Frank Silbermann
My great-aunt was a retired teacher living on a generous pension in an inexpensive apartment in the Bronx, NYC, in the 1960s when many blacks began moving into the neighborhood after migrating from the southern states. My aunt was not an "infrequent" victim of black-on-white crime; she was robbed by black youth regularly until she moved to a rich neighborhood into a luxury apartment building with 24-hour security that she could barely afford. I was a small boy then, and remember how after that she could no longer afford the gifts and visits to us in Florida. The police did little, because at that time Progressives viewed street criminals as victims of society. Over the next few decades this cancer of Progressive thought spread across the country by judicial mandate. By now, I was living in New Orleans, and now here too, every one of my acquaintances had a story about how they or someone they knew had recently been robbed on the street. In many cases, robbers had followed their cars home late at night. In 1996, however, Louisiana passed a law forcing the police to issue concealed handgun permits to private citizens for self-protection (upon training and a clean background check), and this problem was reduced by 90%. Instead, the thugs killed each other fighting for drug-selling turf, or stole cars in the dead of night. How much safer would it be for them to break into occupied homes, to torture the residents into revealing the location of the most valuable items than to sell crack-cocaine. But most are afraid to do that, for one reason. In most southern states it is legal to shoot burglars on sight. Self-protection -- and not mere sport -- is what's at stake for us.
Jess
What surprises me is not the fact that there is American bashing/baiting on certain forums. We do that even in America. It is the fact that everyone seems to blame it on American culture. Yet the shooter wasn't a byproduct of that culture. He was a foreign exchange student from Korea. The most he would have gotten was distorted pop culture. Yet, that fact has been overlooked by nearly everyone of you out there. Sure it is very easy to legally purchase a firearm over here. However, it is also easy to purchase a firearm illegally over here as well as long as you don't care about the price. Outlawing them won't do any good because then I among others will have to purchase it illegally just for that extra bit of protection against those hopped up on whatever illegal substance you guys smuggle into this country to make an obscene profit. You don't live here and all you hear are exaggerated stories of American life and distorted pop culture. The lives of our stars are pretty exotic/repulsive to us too you know.
Kathy
This gunman grew up in America and was educated there. He was Korean only by nationality but in fact he was American.
JustDoIt
You guys like raping Iraqi girls, and killing all her family; like destroying their country, and making money of it; like taking over naive people's land, and calling it your own; like telling off the world cause you are "Number one".You deserve It, if that is what you call karma.
Elinor
I feel really sad that people are making this an us and them thing. Kiwis saying Americans deserved it, Americans saying New Zealand is not worth anything. Slinging mud doesn't change the fact that so many people were killed and there are now many families grieving for loved ones. My condolences to all affected. As for who is to blame, why blame at all. He should not have had easy access to guns perhaps, but there are plenty of people who do, that don't go on killing sprees. He made a choice, so maybe he is to blame, but there could be mitigating factors that we all have no knowledge of, so to say outright that he is evil seems a bit excessive. It is just a very sad and tragic incident that will affect many people for a long time, and those who are rude enough to say it was the Americans fault, have probably already forgotten it, shame on you. I am a New Zealander living in Australia.
Dennis Sosnoski
I'm appalled - but not surprised - by the incoherent rants from the U.S. in response to others' opinions. This was an entirely preventable tragedy, and in any rational society the laws would have been changed long ago to prohibit such easy ownership of weapons with such great destructive potential. But the U.S. is not a rational society, and the majority of the people of the U.S. are more concerned about gay marriage than they are about the victims of guns.
Guns don't kill people - gun owners kill people. This simple lesson has been brought home to the people of the U.S. again and again, but the majority are unwilling to acknowledge it and do something about the ridiculous ease with which guns can be purchased in the U.S. And yes, the war on Iraq is yet another symptom of this same mindset, which says that if something goes wrong the solution is to kill people. Until the U.S. learns a better approach the rest of the world will continue to suffer from its stupidity.
Gerald Erikson
I don't know who this editoral guy is talking about when he says "They cannot be convinced that fear is their worst enemy. Fear is the only reason they continue to harbour the weapons of their own destruction." Fear? No one I know is living in fear, even though they and I have guns. This editor may be living in fear and assuming others are fearful. It is stupid for people to assume everyone else thinks like they do. And that is very easy to do. As to an opinion on this, why do you people even care? Are you trying to run this country? If so, why? Are there any Americans trying to run NZ? Or give opinions about it? If so I have never heard of any.
Andrew Montgomery
So what. A few people die in a shoot up. The media are indulging in their usual ploy of highlighting what is an incredibly minor event in the context of global horror. There are far bigger fish to fry.
What is happening in Rhodesia, Iraq, Afghanistan and a multitude of other nations throughout the world are far more deserving of media attention? Virginia has zero gun laws. The only surprise should be why it doesn't happen more regularly. New Zealand gun laws are good but still fail to stop the Burtons, Greys and Bains of this world from going mad and indulging their madness. It is a waste of time analysing these random crazy events. Everyone out there - get a life and forget it. Tragedy and death are integral to the fact of life. We have nothing to learn from this tragedy at all.
Marcus Copelli
The message from the over-excited (and crass) American calling us Kiwi's "irrelevant" displays the very attitude which makes many despise the US. However, I will agree that we Kiwis just cannot point the finger as some views have done. We might not have had a Virginia Tech (yet), but what about the Kahui twins and the other appalling child abuse deaths? Every country has its social issues, and while New Zealand may not have readily available guns, it is hardly a paradise!
William
People, before you post to this site, try proof-reading your anti-American drivel. Or has the public education system in New Zealand really produced this many "educated" scholars as well as one-sided critics? It must be nice to see your hard earned tax dollars going to something so productive.
A. Robinson
Growing up in California and Arizona, I became used to the idea that having guns was as natural as having a car. Then I lived in Japan for twelve years and discovered what it meant to live in a society where the good of the many out weighs the rights of the individual. Japan has opted to ban firearms (except for those illegal ones in the hands of the yakuza). Now I live in Australia which took the enlightened move, after the Port Arthur massacre, of banning most guns. I am a dual citizen of the US and Australia. The psychology of the US is so fear dominated that the extreme incidents like Columbine and Virginia Tech actually fuel the sale of guns rather than their reduction. The NRA, the gun manufacturers, the retailers and the hunters are simply too powerful a lobbying force for those who would put forth the idea of a more peaceful and less violent society. Indeed,if guns were banned in the US, the actual sales and ownership would increase, much like the use of alcohol during prohibition. Moral equals: if you don't like people who own guns and who do not hesitate to use them on both their fellow citizens and those in the theaters of war around the globe, don't live in America.
Grant Robertson
What a senseless waste of life. And how sad for the families of the dead. Maybe, and just maybe, these people that get the urge, for whatever reason, to go to the nearest school and kill and maim, would not of had the idea in the first place if similar events had not been spread across every paper and television screen on earth. Nothing like advertising is there! And people always like to follow a trend setter. Now the "cat is out of the bag" how will anybody be able to stop the carnage.
Dave M
I'm American but work in England, where they don't have guns (except for the many criminals who do). Last I noticed, you could still buy here nail polish remover and hair bleach - the two ingredients that some young "students" used to make the bombs that killed over fifty people on 7-7 and wounded hundreds more. Way more casualties than at Virginia Tech. Why weren't they banned? They have other good uses?
So do guns. (eg. they are a good defensive weapon)
My point is that an insane twisted individual will be able to find a way to kill people, lots of people, using the stuff at hand. You could ban foreign exchange students? Tell you what, it's our tragedy, why not leave it to us to sort out.
Bob in North Carolina
I just finished reading your news article and the posted responses. I suppose I did not find the responses very unusual, but as I know no one from NZ and never have visited your country, I wasn't sure precisely what to expect. Guns don't kill people. People kill people. The 9/11 murderers used airplanes. The Arab student at the University of North Carolina used an automobile. The myriad Muslim terrorists throughout the world -most of them use explosives with their own lives sacrificed. No, my friends, guns do not kill people, people kill people. Believe me folks, we have gun control here in various forms. At no time in the foreseeable future will gun ownership be outlawed in this country. If such was seriously attempted, you would most likely see a civil war. It would be a disaster to attempt any sort of confiscation. Such a law would be simply ignored - both quietly and otherwise. If you like a country without firearms, do not come here. Our nation was born of armed conflict against an oppressive government. We have a long national memory. We have allowed dilution of our freedoms over the years, but we will not allow the "right to keep and bear arms" to be taken away. Poor Bird has spoken.
Peter in California, USA
I am sickened by many of the comments posted here on this website. These two are particularly vile: From Guy - A comment made about the Virginia Tech shooting "About as American pie" sums it up in a nutshell." From Markus: "Can't be all bad, few less idiot Americans - what's all the fuss about!"
I am also sickend by the fact that the New Zealand Herald allowed these vile comments to be posted on their website. I wish no ill will towards you, your newspaper, or your country. Just know that during a time when millions of people in my country were in agony over a very tragic event, your hateful words added a little more pain. It will not be forgotten.
Dean Myburgh
33 people died in a school shootout in Virginia. While this is news, it hardly warrants headline coverage, numerous screeds of articles published on it and generally a copious amount of wasting my time. A short story in the World Section would have sufficed. People die in mine accidents in China all the time. People die in civil wars in Africa all the time. Why does one isolated incident of 33 people dying - a relatively minor number - warrant such extensive press coverage? The answer to that can only be that it happened in the United States. Well wake up New Zealand - Americans' lives are no more precious than those who live in other parts of the world. It is precisely this sort of kowtowing to the Americans that has led to such anti-Americanism. If Americans were not singled out whenever and whatever then the world would be a much better place.
Michael
Alexis, what you do not realise is that the Arabs would not be killing each other as much as they are now if America did not invade Iraq. Sure, Saddam Hussein was a tyrant but the Americans caused Iraq's slow and steady slide into civil war.
Holly
I am an American who no longer lives in America. Leaving my country was a choice that I made, more than a decade ago, and have never regretted making. There was a deep chasm growing between my (American) culture and what I believed. Americans are not 'bad' people. They are a young country whose people have fallen prey to the worst type of propaganda possible—the type that leaves you believing that you are free thinking and making your own decisions and choices. I come from a long line of gun owners; hunters, to be more specific; people with bumper stickers proclaiming the holiness of the NRA. Many of those in my dear family believe the propaganda that says: "Violence can ultimately create peace and any sort of gun control (albeit involving nothing more than semi-automatic assault weapons, which I will never own) is a threat to my hunting and/or personal security. And furthermore anyone questioning my logic is the enemy." It's frightened thinking and there is little logic built into fearful responses. Please beware of bashing. It's a frightened response as well and is simply a verbally violent response to other (perhaps more) frightened minds. We are all on this planet together and what affects one affects all. May I suggest a thoughtful look at the people as individuals; the tragedy of this event and some compassion for all involved—including the frightened people who are now clinging to their guns and beliefs that having them is their right if not salvation.
Bob T Jones
It amazes me that these shootings have made such big news around the world. yes it is sad that one kid went out and shot 32 others, yet a report released last year put the figure of Iraq's dead due to American's illegal invasion of their country at 650,000 and counting. Where is this same outrage and public discourse on this?
Peter
Look it is very simple. Just like many other parts of the bill of rights, the "right to bear arms" was meant in a time where the US had no real army, and where there was an actual threat of foreign armies destroying communities. The right was never meant to be an "Eternal truth" none of the documents were. As time changes so does society. I think it is sad to see a nation like America not only allow/support and stand up for their rights on this issue, when the problem is 100% due to the lack of gun control, but that it is also a nation that allows death penalty, one of the strangest and most barbaric punishments there are. Obviously other parts of the American society are helping to make the issue worse, I would suggest that anyone in doubt should watch "Bowling for Columbine" then tell me what you believe the issues are.It isn't gospel, but it is as close as you can expect to some reasonable thinking. People claiming that tradition is enough reason to keep ideas like unchecked allowance of guns and the death penalty alive, need to wake up and realise that we as humans have evolved since. It is time for America to at least move in to the "enlightened" era...
Jan
America's internal policy on gun control is to blame for this tragic incident. Many opposed better arms control, "guns don't kill, people do", despite the tragic killings at Columbine. Race/Country bashing isn't the way to go, no doubt the shooter IS a murderer. Yes, he's an Asian immigrant, but that is irrelevant, no need to be racist here, the world knows race is not a factor here, think Columbine & Oklahoma City bombing, those responsible were Americans. He is guilty for the shootings, but pause for a second there .What did he use to commit the killings? An easily obtainable firearm. If better arm control had been in place, this incident may have been prevented. If anyones to point finger at somebody, it is the American National Rifle Association with extremely influential members both in Congress & the US media.
Sean Hatwell
The right to bear arms is only slightly less ludicrous than the right to arm bears. Until America wakes up to their ridiculous gun laws, more of this will happen and they will have no one but themselves to blame .
Jonathan Waugh
For all the posts and ideas that have been expressed on this forum, it is really quite sad how few of them have actually been of any use. I am a proud and patriotic New Zealander living and working in Japan, on top of that my grandfather was an American and I have flatted with Americans and currently work with Americans, and have not once felt that they were "sickos" or "weirdos". As a Kiwi, I also know that Aotearoa is not a "pathetic", "insignificant", or "irreverent" country as a few of you overly sensitive writers have claimed. As for the tragedy that has happened, it is sickening to the soul to read how many of you, both Kiwi and American, have resulted in a tit-for-tat battle of words. A lot of very young and promising people have just been slayed. Instead of fighting each other, laying blame, and getting overly protective, we should be learning from our common mistakes and looking for ways to remedy the senseless use of firearms to solve our problems. After all, wouldn't that be a more fitting tribute to those who have died instead of the current hate-mongering that is going on? Both of our great countries are democracies founded on Christian values, share a common heritage, and have all the problems that go with it. Anyway, didn't Jesus say "He without sin, cast the first stone"? God Bless America and God Defend New Zealand.
Jessica
The question for this forum was 'Is it time to review gun control?' Which country are we talking about? NZ? - the tragedy didn't occur here and as we have one of the best gun licensing systems in the world, the answer is no. If it's the USA, then what right do we have to comment on their internal issues? We may have our views but they are irrelevant to what the realities or perceptions are in USA. This is their tragedy, let them attend to the issues and heal.
I do not for one minute deny that this is a significant and heart wrenching tragedy, However, consider this. More than 32 people have died in bomb blasts in Iraq in the last week - do we ask for 'bomb control'? No. Once again, it seems that there is a bias that what happens in the USA is more important than anywhere else. A little bit of balance wouldn't go a miss. But then again, predominately Anglosaxon deaths are more news worthy than those in the middle east...how silly can I be?
Lawrence
There is no doubt what happened at Virginia Tech is a tragedy. What Americans should be waking up to is that guns are the effect of the cause. Incidents like this will continue to happen until guns are removed from society period.
Mark
There is no reason to review gun laws here in NZ. Current gun restrictions for owners are tough enough and there is no reason to review or make them tougher. Currently you can only own pistols and MSSA rifles in NZ for sporting purposes, which is already a restriction as in the USA they can both be used for hunting also as well as target shooting. The bottom line is, under the current laws in NZ you need to pass through 2 interviews with police, a security check, be a financial member of a pistol club, shoot 12 times a year at the club, pass a pistol test and a Range Officer test if you want to shoot by yourself without supervision. If that isn't enough to weed out the psychos from the bona fide gun enthusiasts and sporting shooters then what is? The laws here are good and they work. If its not broke dont fix it.
The media is so quick to point the finger at guns in general. The liberals would have you believe that "Guns are bad" and that "guns make our community unsafe." when in fact having a gun for protection (by a licenced and police approved owner) can be a bonus to society Also its often heard that "guns arent safe" and that simply having one is dangerous, often making them the target of the media never mind that person who was using the gun, it was the guns' fault someone got shot! So if that is the case, should I blame my pen for my bad spelling? Really there is a strong case for people being armed in public where crime is rife. An offender is much less likely to attempt something if he knows you are armed. Luckily in NZ police do not need to carry guns yet, but its only a matter of time before they will. Its not a matter of if but when someone will need to protect themself-and wont have the means, a sad but true fact. Despite this the higher powers in NZ make a point of showing the public that unfortunately in NZ if you did shoot someone in self defence you get charged for it despite the police not agreeing with the decision....even when you've done the country a favor! Welcome to our over-PC country.
Tara from Boston
Guns should be strictly regulated. Period. In America all sorts of potentially deadly things are regulated. Medications for example. No one complains that their right to self medicate has been infringed. I would like to hear one argument for the opposing side that does not involve rhetoric and grand statements about the majesty of our nation and it's glorious history.
Steve
I cannot imagine why so many Americans are taking criticism of their archaic gun laws so personally. If we accept that we live amongst flawed human beings then access to handguns and military style weapons should be strictly controlled. They are afte rall built for the express purpose of harming people. The lurid love affair some Americans have these weapons is bizarre and they react like you're threatening to emasculate