Politicizing Tragedy
On April 16, 2007, 33 lives were lost at Virginia Tech University because of the actions of one man’s vengeful need to take out his anger on innocent bystanders. After such a tragedy you would think that at least one full day of mourning could be set aside to unobtrusively honor their memory.
Instead, even tragedy has been used as a fulcrum to bring up the political issue of gun control. European newspapers including the Independent, the Spiegel and the French Le Monde and liberal commentators, have made statements that the lack of gun control measures in the U.S. (especially since the 2004 expiration of the 10-year ban on semi-automatic weapons which was not been renewed by Republicans) are the fundamental reason why this deadly attack occurred. Even implications that Charlton Heston is somehow indirectly responsible for the killings of 33 innocent victims, are just a liberal maneuver to side step the real issues and causes of this tragedy (mainly the motivations of the shooter and campus security). Instead liberals would rather push their own agenda on gun control even at a time when what is truly needed most is a collective mindset to honor those who have died.
Reference: European Press reactions
Reference: Gun control becomes front issue
Entered by Kathy Undas
April 19th, 2007 at 4:24 pm
Conservatives politicized 9/11 to an even more egregious degree. Politicians politicize everything, thats just how the system works.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:21 pm
You are right. But we should do our part to get rid of the guns AND take a moment of silence to pray for peace. And there is nothing in the world liberal about that.
May 3rd, 2007 at 2:49 pm
I wasn’t aware this shooting has caused such awareness in Europe focusing on gun control. I find it sad they cannot take time to respect those families who lost loved ones, and for those who are no longer with us, that were victims in this horrible tragedy. Perhaps if they were here, they might have something to ad on gun control. There is a time and place for everything and I find this the wrong time, and the wrong place to entertain gun control.