Today students at Virginia Tech keep the students, families and community of Northern Illinois University in their hearts and minds. At about 3PM on Thursday one gunman shot 21 students in a lecture hall where an Oceanography class was taking place. So far seven people including the gunman are reported to have been killed. This shooting comes just two days shy of the ten month anniversary of the Virginia Tech massacre where one gunman took 32 lives and then his own. In the wake of this terrible tragedy Hokies are rallying support for the Northern Illinois community by displaying symbols reminding students that “We will [all] prevail”.

     Ironically, only three days before the Northern Illinois shooting, on February 11, the Chicago Sun Times said: “The gun control issue is on the move and the politicians want in”. These ominous words are part of the nation’s growing concern over the country’s lax gun laws. Over the past several months gun control legislation has been a hot topic for Virginia as well as the rest of the country. In January two bills seeking to close the so-called “gun show loophole” died in the General Assembly after powerful demonstrations from advocates on both sides of the debate.  (Please visit http://think.mtv.com/044FDFFFF0098A17500170098CBE4/ for my coverage of this debate). More recently, Senators Lautenberg (NJ) and Reed (RI) proposed national legislation which they claim will keep guns out of the hands of criminals. Senator Kennedy (MA) and Representative Becerra (CA) have also proposed legislation mandating microstamping which they say will give police officers advanced identification technology to solve gun crimes. 

     As the nation’s interest in gun legislation grows, the presidential candidates have stayed largely silent on their stance on this hot button issue. Tragedies like Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois demand leadership and proactive legislation. It is time for Obama, Hillary and McCain to tell us where they stand on gun legislation. Students should have the opportunity to vote for a presidential candidate who is prepared to be the leader we so desperately need. But for now, Hokie’s hearts are with Northern Illinois as we all struggle to understand and to come to terms with yet another devastating tragedy.