Wednesday, November 07, 2007

For the record, I am not gloating

However, I hope the following story serves as a well-needed wake up call those self-righteous Europeans who tsk-tsk us barbarous Americans every time a school shooting happens in this country.

Yesterday, a high school student in Finland who apparently had some scores to settle, killed eight students and staff at his school before turning his .22 caliber pistol on himself. This is a tragedy, and I am so sorry and sickened that it happened.

My hope is that perhaps people on both sides of the pond can learn from this act of violence and come to the conclusion that more gun control is not the answer.

Good Day to You, Sir

9 comments:

Donalbain said...

Good point. Well made. Except that this even would make a better data point AGAINST your argument than for it, since Finland has rather lax gun control laws and has the third highest per capita gun ownership in the world.

W.R. Chandler said...

And in Vermont, you don't even need a concealed-carry permit, yet that state has a crime rate of practically nil.

What's your point?

Donalbain said...

My point is that your comment about gun control is utterly irrelevant, since Finland is not a state with particularly strict gun control.

W.R. Chandler said...

Uh, no, Finland has rather strict gun control. Compared to other European countries it may not, but compared to the United States, it is more strict.

So, explain to me why Vermont is such a safe place to live, even though I can walk down the street with a concealed weapon with no license required?

Darren said...

Guns are bad. Very, very bad. And if you like guns, you're a bad person.

(sarcasm /off now)

Donalbain said...

OK.. please tell me everything you know about Finnish gun control laws now in the space provided below.


And NO googling!

W.R. Chandler said...

Sure, I'll visit the library and get back to you in a few days.

Do your own research, Slick - prove me wrong.

Donalbain said...

"Uh, no, Finland has rather strict gun control."

And yet you admit you know NOTHING about gun control law in Finland.

W.R. Chandler said...

Actually, I found out quite a bit. Why don't you go look for yourself before you go spouting off.