Redskin Players Becoming Gun Owners

Whenever something what happened to Sean Taylor occurs, everyone around that person starts to reassess things. In this case, safety is a concern.

"I've always been scared about guns, but I'm strongly thinking about getting one," offensive tackle Chris Samuels said. "Everybody talks about a small percentage of people having to protect themselves in their own home, but what if you are in that small percentage? What do you do? If I do get a gun, I'll go through the proper training and all of that. Some guys get 'em and think they know what to do by watching crime shows on TV."

"After what happened to Sean, I'm thinking about getting a gun," TE Chris Cooley said. "Everybody knows when we're away from home."

The linked article mentions Rock Cartwright and Cornelius Griffin as previous gun owners who bought them for security purposes.

Of course, this is part of the problem. You have a gun to rob me; I get a gun to protect myself; now everyone gets a gun and is on edge. What may have happened if Taylor, who was unable to own a gun, possessed one at the time he was murdered? There may have been more killed on that morning just as easily as Taylor may have been able to back the killers down.

I have no problems with gun ownership ... though I don't own one. I also don't have many of the things that pro athletes have either, including a bunch of haters hating on me. Why do we continue to be shocked when these athletes get caught with a gun out in public? Taylor is killed, Eddy Curry gets his home invaded and Antoine Walker was robbed at gunpoint. There was also the Paul Pierce stabbings back in 2000.

Obviously, this issue is bigger than sports ... but the shame is that in the wake of a tragedy like this, the best bet is more weapons.