The First Post of 2011, and a sad one

I am very sad to say that my first post of 2011 is one of a tragedy. The newscasts are labeling it "Tragedy in Tucson." A madman shot up a crowd gathered to meet their Congresswoman, in his attempt to kill her and any nearby. The Congresswoman fights for her life having been shot in the head, a half dozen are dead, including a 9 year old born on 9/11/01. Heartbreaking. And angering. It is clear that this 20-something man was scary enough to be kicked out of college and sent for psychological examination, but still could buy a semi automatic handgun, with monster multi-load clips. Let's hear it for the freedom to bear arms. The local sheriff decried the vitriol and level of heated rhetoric which he felt could have contributed to this man acting out. I am not sure of that, but I am sure we can do better than the way we have been exchanging views. And we can each accept our own ability to change the tone. When criticized for her comments about responding to opposition in cute sayings that included the word "reload", and targeting congressional districts (including that of the Congresswoman in Tucson)with the use of crosshairs in a map, Sarah Palin protested that she never meant the symbols to be from a rifle, but "Crosshairs like on a map" Oh please. When someone says, "I have them in my crosshairs", they ain't talking about no map. I do not blame Palin for this young man's actions, but to try to deny the imagery she has invoked is just plain bull crap.

It angers me even more than when something like this happens, anti-gun control groups come out in force to wail that now the gun control fanatics will try to use the tragedy to further their cause. You think? How would you expect them to react, when this is the very thing they fear. Good old AZ allows any and all to carry, and it did not help here, did it? There actually was an armed citizen nearby, but it was too late by the time he could react. Madmen are madmen, and we have to make it harder for them to arm themselves. Like the Virginia Tech student, there were clear signs that he was not in his right mind, yet the ease with which he could arm himself is alarming. At the time, there were those who blamed the campus's being a gun free zone, saying perhaps the kids could have protected themselves. That's a great idea, folks, let's have a shoot out at the OK Corral, and see who remains standing when it is all done.

There is nothing so portable, nor so deadly, especially in the hands of an unbalanced mind.