Truman's Conscience

A "clean-cut" appearance, $600.00 and a non-suspicious demeanor get's you a Glock 9 mm in Virginia

In yesterday’s Florida Times-Union, the front page story about Cho Seung-Hui, the Virginia Tech University gunman responsible for 33 dead and over two dozen wounded, had this curious quote from the gun owner who sold the gun:

Roanoke Firearms owner John Markell said his shop sold the Glock and a box of practice ammo to Cho 36 days ago for $571. "He was a nice, clean-cut college kid. We won't sell a gun if we have any idea at all that a purchase is suspicious," Markell said.

What I found curious was his contention that Seung-Hui was a, “clean-cut college kid.” Well, isn’t that nice. The troubled VTU student’s appearance was so disarming he washed away any suspicion of evil intentions. I don’t know about anyone else, but how can one not be put at ease by that shrug of the shoulders?

The laxness of the gun laws in Virginia is apparently an indication that gun retailers are responsible for the use of discretion when selling fire arms. Wow. Mr. Markell certainly failed that test. I mean it was easy to see why with this particular purchaser being “clean-cut” and all. Mr. Markell’s other contention was they won’t sell a gun, “....if we have any idea at all that a purchase is suspicious.” I’m wondering how the need to purchase a Glock 9 mm semi-automatic couldn’t be used for anything else other than shooting someone. Not being a gun owner and very far from having any real knowledge of firearms I guess I don’t understand the cult that swirls around the ownership of these kinds of weapons.

After what happened on the Blacksburg campus this past Monday morning, I’m not sure I want to.t