What’s wrong with this picture? An outbreak of salmonella sickened 453 people, caused 5 deaths and resulted in a national uproar. The Peanut Corporation of America was forced into bankruptcy. Two hundred or more people are killed annually by deranged people and the reaction is a large portion of our population clinging to their weapons and restating their second amendment rights. America has a fixation on gun ownership even if it means the loss of life.
Spring seems to be the time for killers to come out of their hives.
– Virginia Tech –32 killed, killer committed suicide
– Binghamton, NY –13 killed, killer committed suicide
– North Carolina –at a nursing home, 6 killed, 3 wounded
– Pittsburgh PA –3 officers killed
– Oakland, Calif –4 officers killed
– Columbine, Colorado –April 20th, 1999, two boys, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, killed 12 students and a teacher before committing suicide
Presidential assassinations and attempted assassinations have had little impact on the public in controlling gun ownership.
Assassinations
Abraham Lincoln – Lincoln was shot in the head while watching a play on April 14, 1865. He died on April 15, 1865.
James Garfield – Charles J. Guiteau, a mentally disturbed government office seeker, shot Garfield on July 2, 1881. The president did not die until September 19th of blood poisoning.
William McKinley – McKinley was shot two times by anarchist Leon Czolgosz while the president was visiting the Pan-American Exhibit in Buffalo, New York on September 6, 1901. He died on September 14, 1901.
John F. Kennedy – On November 22, 1963, John F. Kennedy was mortally wounded while riding in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas. His apparent assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, was killed by Jack Ruby before standing trial.
Assassination Attempts
Andrew Jackson – On January 30, 1835, Andrew Jackson was attending a funeral for Congressman Warren Davis.
Theodore Roosevelt – An assassination attempt was actually not made on Roosevelt‘s life while he was in the office of president.
Franklin Roosevelt – After giving a speech in Miami on February 15, 1933, Giuseppe Zangara shot six shots into the crowd. None hit Roosevelt.
Harry Truman – On November 1, 1950, two Puerto Rican nationals attempted to kill President Truman to bring attention to the case for Puerto Rican independence.
Gerald Ford – Ford escaped two assassination attempts, both by women. First on September 5, 1975. The second attempt on Ford’s life occurred on September 22, 1975.
Ronald Reagan – On March 30, 1981, Reagan was shot in the lung by John Hinckley, Jr.
Those of us who want stronger gun controls are in the minority. I can only hope that this will change.
Coast Contact 