As far as he would go, of course my friend is right; Congress members and others probably should strengthen their security. But that's not a solution; that's just ratcheting up the craziness we're already suffering under. The solution involves what President Obama said Wednesday night in Tucson:
"We need to use this moment to expand our moral imagination." We need to challenge old assumptions and "constantly widen the circle of our concern."
It is unlikely that the suddenly Republic-rich US Congress is going to take on the National Rifle Association and right wing radio and suddenly enact sane gun laws. Loughner's use of a 30-round magazine makes this clear, since such magazines were briefly made illegal before the legislation was quietly overturned.
Not that sane gun laws are beyond the realm of possibilities. By vast majorities, the US Congress outlawed armor-piercing, "cop-killer" bullets and the manufacture of metal-detector-proof plastic guns. It's clearly a matter of finding the will. It's also a matter of backbone and courage, which seems in short supply these days in Washington.
Personally, I have nothing against gun ownership. I own a 9-mm H&K automatic with a standard 15-round magazine. I shoot at a range periodically so I know what to do with it if I ever have to use it. I also own it out of principle, since I feel the political right should not have a monopoly on gun ownership.
I would give my gun up in a minute if I detected a rational, socially-responsible strain of governance in Washington. So far, fear of the NRA rules.
Even with the NRA veto on sanity, there are many things a society can agree to do to thwart nutcases like Mr. Loughner. The most important is to improve our health care system so it provides stigma-free mental health care on a par with a broken leg. We also need tough, compassionate laws and to realize broken minds can often be fixed.
There is no excuse for a society that allows such an evidently unhinged man as Mr. Loughner to purchase a super lethal weapon, then hone his skills with it in the desert to the point the weapon becomes an obsessive extension of his mad dream-world.
Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
1
1
1
