-There is no heartening way to tackle the tragic shooting this weekend in Arizona. Jared Lee Loughner "is suspected" of shooting some 20 people, killing 6 and leaving others in a range of critical to severe condition. The victims included, as part of the media circus has detailed, an Arizona Congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords, who appears to have been the main target in an attempted "assassination". Unfortunately, included in the victim's list, among others, was an aid to the Congresswoman, a judge and a 9 year old girl who was attending to better understand and observe how our government works. All in, this is one of those tragedies at which one can only shake one's head and say a small prayer under one's breath for the victims and their families.
-If the press and reports are to be believed, Jared Lee Loughner is, at best, a very troubled young man. At worst he is a raging psychopath who, in being found guilty by a jury of his peers, should be ended, as the parents of 9 year Christine Green were quoted as wanting. Loughner's warning signs, if taken in aggregate, were rather large. A loner in his neighborhood, he also was noted for 5 run-ins with the campus police at the local community college he was ultimately thrown out of. He scared a lot of people and yet the inability of authorities or his community to take a measure in aggregate, of all the individual incidents, meant that there was an incomplete picture, allowing him to perpetuate his heinous crime, or "allegedly" to do so.
-The criminal system, as is supported by the Constitution, allows a man such as Loughner and any other, despite witnesses and footage (from cctv cameras and bystanders) to use the courts to delay, if not throw out conviction and ultimate penalty, by any means possible (innocent until proven guilty). Loughner has already retained the attorney, Judy Clarke, who can boast defending Ted Kaczynski (who we all know better as the "Unabomber" and the 20th hijacker who missed his plane on 9/11). Clarke will attempt to argue against the death penalty due to mental illness or "defect", as is her specialty. This is his right but what of those of the victims?
-The unfortunate thing here is that Loughner did not get help despite all the warning signs - assuming help would have indeed made a difference. What is even more unfortunate, and a necessary topic here, is that this lunatic, was cleared in November for the purchase of his gun, which held a clip for 31 bullets. Aside from clearing this guy who had twice dodged other pending criminal charges by attending "diversion programs", which allowed him to walk scotch free and left no "permanent marking" of his instability or trouble, his purchase further solidifies the argument that there is no need for anyone in the public sector to be cleared to buy a glock, or any other gun, with a 31 round clip capability.
-While the Congresswoman clings to life and others mourn their losses, there are a number of questions we should all be asking. Why can we not have a rational conversation about guns in this country? No one sane is arguing for elimination of all guns - that goes against so much of the spirit of the "pioneer nation" - but there need to be limits. "Red Dawn" is not going to happen tomorrow. No Russian paratroopers, or their allies, will land in midAmerica seeking to capture our nation. Guns for "protection" and guns for hunting don't need to be akin to an M-50 machine gun. There is just no excuse. Screening must get better. A 3 day process should be changed as needed - a nearly unlimited process is not unreasonable if warranted. Red flags should be allowed to fly without violating other Constitutional rights and if it takes a few weeks to clear you for a purchase, so be it. You and I have a right to live as much as others have a right to bear arms.
-Finally, as I read one congressional leader quoted as wondering if the current climate of campaigning vitriol was not at the core of violence and its increase at or towards politicians. I think that a Congressman should practice what he or she preaches. The current process of what we call a campaign "on issues" is laughable. Candidates no longer actually discuss real matter but rather seek to exploit every personal defect, rumour or innuendo, ignoring real substance. Elections are won on soundbites. Candidates refuse to speak in substance, often taken out of context about who is sleeping with whom, who cheated on whom, or who did what. There is no discussion of what is needed, how to help a constituency or what needs to be done to run a more effective government. The claim of "hostile climate" all rings a bit hollow to me.
-I hope what we can all agree on is our best wishes and prayers for a recovery for Congresswoman Giffords and the other injured victims. We can hope not to witness such an act again (no more Arizona's, no more Columbine's, no more Texas Army bases). We can hope that somehow this country can find a way to unite, instead of continue to divide before it is too late and we witness the short end of a golden era.
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