Root Cause

Over the last day, I've seen and heard a number of supid things with respect to the horrific shooting at Virginia Tech. 32 kids killed for what appears to be no reason, by a freaking lunatic with a couple of guns.

Why is it everyone has to harp on security on campus, or that he could legally buy guns. And how Virginia isn't good when it comes to gun control...

Under Virginia law, state residents can only buy one handgun in any 30-day period, suggesting Cho had bought his second weapon after April 13, or sometime over the weekend.

It is not clear yet whether the gun connected to the receipt was used in the shooting.


However, gun control advocates generally give Virginia poor marks for its gun laws. The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence gives Virginia's legislation a C-minus.


Among the deficiencies the campaign cites:


No requirement for gun safety training


No child safety lock requirement.


No background checks for gun shows and other secondary market sales.


No pre-sale ballistic fingerprinting requirement.

None of which would have stopped this.

On the other side, however, could we maybe stop trumpeting the 'if students could carry guns someone could have stopped him'? Maybe?

The root cause of this tragedy isn't guns, it isn't a lack of gun rights, it isn't campus security.

It's one insane student.