At some level these following thoughts are probably inappropriate at this moment given the loss and anguish of families hit by this latest tragedy in Colorado but one has to wonder what it is going to take for this country to step up and deal with our gun problem. Looking just at the numbers, the vast majority of our populace support stricter gun control.  Despite that, the pro-gun lobby, namely the NRA, keeps any attempt by politicians to move the discussion to stricter laws at bay.  No doubt as the debate begins again, as it does far too often in our country, those pro-gun people will begin the rhetoricof “guns don’t kill people, people do” as well as all the other shit that comes out of their mouths.  Cut me a break.  Show me another country where this happens at all, let alone with the regularity it does in the US.  Unfortunately, these events are not as isolated as we would like to believe.

The answer is not an easy one.  I am not one to say people shouldn’t be able to own guns.  There are valid reasons to have a gun.  Not sure why one needs an assault rifle, let alone an AK47.  Saying “it’s my constitutional right to own any weapon I want” doesn’t cut it.  But it it too easy for people with mental issues to purchase weapons.  I think we have let the rights of the individual often take precedent over the safety of our society as a whole.  Don’t tell me this degenerate didn’t show psychiatric problems before today.  Don’t tell me his parents didn’t know there was something wrong with their son.  Crazy is crazy and they shouldn’t get the latitude “normal” people typically get.

There is a political aspect to this issue and it must be recognized that most all support for  minimal gun control sits with the Republican party.  It has been a plank in their platform for years.  It might be time their leaders take some responsibility to reduce the likelihood of repeats of this last massacre.  Not likely but worth saying.

Our thoughts and sympathies go out to everyone impacted by this tragic especially to the wounded and the families of those killed.  There are no words to make it better.  We, as a society, must take the steps to keep this from happening again – no matter how loud the noise against it.