PSH At the Tennesseean

Some homegrown PSH:

We should never say never when it comes to stopping violence in this country. Consider, rather, that officials simply have not gone far enough to deal with the availability of lethal weapons.

See where this is going, doncha?

Despite the outcry last April after the worst mass killing in U.S. history, Virginia legislators are still wrestling with gun reform legislation. President Bush signed a new federal law in January to expand the federal database for screening gun applicants, but the law contains a gaping loophole that allows weapons to be bought at gun shows without background checks.

This, written by someone who has obviously never been to a gun show. Here's the deal: most sellers at gun shows are dealers, and all dealers have to conduct a background check, regardless of where they conduct the sale. This "gaping loophole" does not exist. Sales between private parties don't require a background check, but again, the location of that private transaction does not matter.

It is disturbing that after repeated incidents of campus carnage dating back to Columbine in 1999 and earlier, organizations continue to block effective gun-control legislation.

How much more effective can it get? An outright ban on weapons at schools? Oh, wait. That's already in place.

Even worse, some have proposed allowing more guns on campuses, under the Wild West rationale that if every student and teacher is armed, they can defend themselves against a lone, irrational shooter.

No, the proposed law simply aims to let the already licensed carry on school grounds. It's not about arming everyone. Never has been. Also, please tell me how a "wild west" scenario would play out on campus? The same way they play out everywhere else guns are legally carried? Oh, wait (again). It doesn't happen, does it?

Bills such as one before the Alabama legislature would allow guns on state college campuses if the students are properly licensed — as was Kazmierczak.

While I agree he shouldn't have been allowed to own a gun, I don't think the gentleman in question had a carry permit. He had a Firearms Owner Identification Card, which does not allow a person to carry. You're twisting the facts to suit your agenda.

Just the opposite course should be pursued. The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence advocates closing the gun-show loophole; limiting bulk purchases of handguns, which would cut down on illegal gun trade; and an outright ban on the sale of military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines. Kazmierczak and Cho each used the latter in their killing spree. Such weaponry was illegal except for military and police use until Congress let the assault weapons ban expire in 2004.

Oh, Jeeze, Louise, get a grip. First, the ATF is notified anytime a person buy two or more handguns at a time. Second, those "high capacity" magazines were still legal to buy, sell and own during the "assault weapons" ban. I'm using those quotation marks for a reason. They're your words, designed to scare your readers. I'm just supplying the scare quotes. You left them off.

The problem of mass violence in America runs deep, and gun control alone will not solve it.

That's the first sensible thing I've read here all morning. Gun control obviously doesn't work. Allowing people to defend themselves might. It's worth a shot, don't you think?

At least they allow comments, even if they won't own up to who wrote it.