Add Virginia Tech to the growing list of unfortunate schools that have withstood gun violence and the resulting massive homicide. Disturbed adolescents are not only in high school, but also in college. Violence in educational institutions is increasing at an alarming rate. We know that no matter how many troubled young men share their violent intentions, they are ignored until they actually kill people. It’s like the intersection that really should have a traffic light, and the town that won’t put one up until after there is an accident.

The other side of this issue is gun control. How are these students able to obtain guns so easily? The man who sold Cho Seung-Hui, the Virginia Tech shooter, his gun, said Cho showed no signs of criminal behavior and passed a background check with flying colors.

Starting in November 2005, however, police had been continuously investigating Cho after students filed complaints about his inappropriate behavior on multiple occasions. No criminal charges were filed on Cho in the end, and the police asked that he check himself into a mental health facility, which he did in December 2005.

So what exactly do background checks, check?

Currently the National Rifle Association Web site offers condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims in Virginia, but “will not have further comment until all the facts are known.”

According to a survey conducted by the Open Society Institute, Virginia has one of the lowest rankings for gun control laws. The state scores a six out of a possible 100. Massachusetts and Hawaii are the two top states, with scores of 76 and 71, respectively. Colorado has a score of only four, and Kentucky, where there was a school shooting in 1997, scores a negative six. There are a total of 23 states with scores of zero or lower, which indicates very limited gun control laws, and actually undermines the minimum standards in federal law.

Although not a fan of guns myself, I would never speak against the Second Amendment to the Constitution. I do think that some people, mainly firearms lobbyists, might need “the right to bear arms” clarified just a bit. When the Second Amendment was proposed, its purpose was to allow people to protect themselves from further oppression, should another revolution be necessary.

“A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”

It seems that the spirit of the Second Amendment is to keep the citizens of the US protected. For the gun lobby to hide behind the amendment in order to oppose more stringent gun control is not only irresponsible, but also indicative of a complete lack of understanding when it comes to the Bill of Rights.

For further state gun control statistics, visit www.soros.org and type gun control as the search term. For more information about current gun control visit www.bradycampaign.org.