(Link via the Drudge Report)
But it doesn’t make you an expert on firearms or firearms policy.
The father of one of the victims of the latest “I’m going to die famous” spree killers has this to say about the ease of buying guns in the United States:
Mr. Weiss, I’m afraid you don’t have a clue what you’re talking about. While I’ll grant you that it probably is that easy if you buy your guns in the criminal marketplace, it simply isn’t that easy for the law-abiding citizen, and it wasn’t for our spree killer, who will forever remain unnamed in this space. In the state of California, home of some if not the most draconian gun laws in the US, he was able to legally buy guns and legally buy ammo. Then he used a knife and a car–not a gun–to do the majority of his evil.
He had to provide proper ID, go through a background check and a waiting period for each gun he bought. He had to buy them at the rate of one per month. He did just that. He was patient, because he knew he had all the time in the world to execute his plan. And knew that his victims would be unarmed and unable to effectively defend themselves, this being California, the Land of Nope when it comes to concealed carry.
He may have been in therapy since he was 8 and seriously mentally ill, but he wasn’t stupid. On the contrary–he had it all figured out. The residents of the UCSB area are simply lucky that he didn’t have more time to work, given that he had 400 rounds available to him. Perhaps a lot of parents ought to be thankful that he apparently knew no more about guns than Mr. Weiss.
All the gun laws in the state of the union most hostile to the Second Amendment didn’t save your daughter, sir. I’m sorry about that. However, I’m not responsible for it, and I will not allow you or anyone else to assuage their emotional turmoil by making me a villain to be punished. Your villain is dead by his own hand, an action that I will note occurred only after the good guys also armed with guns showed up and started shooting him. My rights are not forfeit for his bad behavior, any more than yours should be because you had a neighbor who embezzled from her employer.
But while I completely disagree with you, I am truly sorry for your loss. I have a daughter a bit older than yours was. I can’t imagine what you’re going through. God bless and keep her and you.
