While last week's slaughter of 32 people at Virginia Tech was carried out by a deranged student, the atrocity can reasonably be considered a case of death by government.

This is not because the murderer was acting on behalf of the State, but rather because his killing spree was facilitated by policies that disarmed the victims. Thus the killer was able to pursue his demonic errand unmolested, and at a leisurely pace.

As generally happens in such cases, the police acted as crime scene historians, drawing the chalk outlines and stringing up the crime scene tape. While SWAT teams have proven to be very effective at carrying out no-knock raids against poorly armed narcotics suspects, they are all but useless in dealing with armed rampages like the Virginia Tech massacre.

Government is to wield the sword of justice against evil-doers, not take the means of self-defense out of the hands of the innocent. This is why so-called gun control is both unconstitutional and anti-Biblical.

Let us stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free.