Tonight I want share my thoughts on not so much as a inspiring story but a What if Ive held on for more many years . My What if is What if we actually had some tougher laws on gun control in this country. During the last several weeks we have been reminded by the upcoming college football season of the Virginia Tech shootings as well as the story of the three promising college students that were gunned down in Newark NJ. Just in case if you did not hear about the Newark shootings here's a brief description via the New York Times of what took place:
The shooting took place on Saturday about 11:30 p.m. as Natasha Aeriel, 19, her brother Terrance, 18, Iofemi Hightower, 20, and Dashon Harvey, 20, were listening to music and chatting in the school playground. When they noticed a group of young men assembling nearby, the police say, Ms. Aeriel and her friends sensed trouble and began sending text messages to each other suggesting that they leave.
But before they could go, the four students were confronted by the men, who shot Ms. Aeriel, then marched the other three to a concrete wall, lined them up and killed them. Ms. Aeriel suffered a bullet wound to the back of her ear but survived.
But before they could go, the four students were confronted by the men, who shot Ms. Aeriel, then marched the other three to a concrete wall, lined them up and killed them. Ms. Aeriel suffered a bullet wound to the back of her ear but survived.
I make it a point to read the paper, watch the news and search the Internet each night to look for interesting stories and subject matter not just for my blog and the Try Change website but just because I'm curious. One of the subjects that has peaked my interest over the years is our country's debate over gun control. I understand the gun lobbyist's view that it's our right to bear arms and guns don't kill people but people kill people. However; how many people must die before we do something and I mean really do something to change the current gun laws. Have we really come to the point where we are more concerned with the winner of American Idol, which latest celebrity was arrested for drunk driving and which professional athlete is on steroids?
I must say I am biased in this debate; 23 years ago my best friend (Steven) walked into a bar to play pool while he waited for his bus. Unbenost to him a fight just finished taking a place between one man (we'll call him Bill) and another group of men. The group of men leave the bar and Bill goes home to get his gun , comes back and mistakes my friend (Steven) for one of his attackers, shoots and kills Steven even though his hands are raised and tells Bill he just walked in the bar. For 23 years I've wondered What If he had lived and had a chance to enjoy life like many of us do today? While I'm at it let me say that I always have to shake my head when I hear people talk about closure for families. I think people say that to make themselves feel a little more comfortable when relating to the victims families. There is no closure. For the lucky one's, you go out and try to make a difference in someone else's life and enjoy your life to the fullest realizing not everyone gets the opportunity to do so.
Yeah, as Americans you could say that we have a right to bear arms but I feel the right to live trumps that.
Join us at Try Change and help spread the message of positive change.
Vince
For more on gun control please visit: http://www.bradycampaign.org/
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