
After the dramatic events that took place at Virginia Tech (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State
University) in Blacksburg, Virginia (USA), I have decided to change my plans and to study with the Terminales a document about the difficult question of the legal sale of weapons to every citizen in many American states, as it is the case in Virginia, where anybody above the age of twelve can buy a gun.
Here are some interesting links to understand what happened:
In Memoriam, Virginia Tech’s website
Tragedy in Blacksburg, the reports made by the local press
The new statement made by the National Rifle Association, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to “promoting the legal use of firearms and protecting the rights of US citizens to keep and bear arms.” No problem, af far as they’re concerned!
More links about the problem of gun violence in the USA, particularly in schools:
An article on School shooting in the United States
An article on the Columbine High School Massacre
About Columbine, also see these documents on Ze blog
The Bill of Rights with the 2nd amendment to the American constitution
The National Rifle Association and the 2nd amendment
The Brady Campaign To Prevent Gun Violence and the 2nd amendment
The Editorial of The New-York Times of April 17, 2007 calling for “stronger controls over the lethal weapons
This is a link to the Jonesboro massacre, the example quoted in the text A Gun Culture, from Arming America, The Origins of a National Gun Culture by Michael Bellesisles.
If you need help: a vocabulary sheet on gun control.