excerpts:
"But the point remains that it’s more a matter of readily available and early treatment for mentally unstable individuals like Loughner that’s needed–not further restrictions on the tools by which he committed the atrocity. You can keep chopping off all the dead leaves, or you can water the plant for once."
and,
"I don’t have any use for populist rage and witch-hunts, whether they’re of the Beck and Palin sort or the liberal sort, and neither do any other independent thinkers. Just because speech is offensive– or crass, or hateful–does not make it illegal. There is no constitutional right to never be offended, and for that we can thank the wisdom of the Founding Fathers, those supposed poster children for the Tea Party’s principles, for ensuring this holds true on both sides of the fence, regardless of what misguided journalists and pundits have to say."
While I heartily endorse King's 'water the plant for once' point, I do have to disagree with him regarding the restriction of automatic weapon purchases. It's undeniable that we would probably have had a few less bodies on our hands if Loughner had needed to reload more often. More gun regulation may also have prevented someone with a sketchy past and mental health record like Loughner from purchasing these weapons in the first place...but then, if the laws regarding the confinement and treatment of mentally disturbed individuals weren't such in this country that a person almost needs to be in the middle of committing a horrendous act before they can be removed from the general population (or forced to receive treatment), maybe Loughner wouldn't have been able to buy any guns in the first place.
But the overall point--that many liberals are being just as reactive as members of what Bill Maher rightly calls 'The Pee Party' (tea party activists are always peeing their pants over some oversold 'threat to liberty')--is spot on, and needs to be heeded.
There comes a point where more discussion moves us backwards rather than forward. And as a typical American, I'm ready for the next news story.
ReplyDeleteBut I really appreciate the opportunity to exchange comments here at Medicine Cabinet and at the end of the day think all the writing/commentary's been top-notch. Spencer's insights in particular provide a lot to think about.
Thanks, Lodo. It's always a pleasure to hash through an issue with you.
ReplyDeleteGENEVA (Reuters) - The United States has 90 guns for every 100 released on Tuesday said.
ReplyDeleteU.S. citizens own 270 million of the world's 875 million known firearms, according to the Small Arms Survey 2007 by the Geneva-based Graduate Institute of International Studies.
Gun control is a mote point. This country is awash in firearms. That fact that so few are killed is more of a wonder then the amount who are actually shot.
American exceptionalism, I guess.
ReplyDelete