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What Does The Aurora Colorado Massacre Teach Us?

By on July 23, 2012

The terrible events in Aurora Colorado remind us that there are worse things in life than nauseating politics. Both candidates are to be congratulated for suspending their campaigns. Romney was generous to compliment the president for going to the scene to talk to families. The President struck the right notes in his remarks there. This eye of civility in this storm of turbulent current affairs will be remembered and appreciated for months to come.

None the less, it has awakened the ongoing argument about gun control in our country. As could be expected, many have called out for more restrictions. The opposition has repeated their mantra that guns don’t kill people, people do.

We still do not know what was in the heart and mind of James Holmes, the neuroscientist who went on this murderous rampage. Clearly he did at one point have the intelligence to know what he was doing was wrong. Circumstantial facts would seem to indicate that he lost that sense somewhere in recent weeks. Did he have a psychotic break because of some stresses in his life? Does he have an underlying condition like a brain tumor that might explain this terrible act? I vividly recall seeing a Japanese tourist in the emergency department years ago who became confused and erratic for that very reason. We will have to wait for answers.

The fact of the matter is that whatever the findings, we should be making it more difficult for people with psychiatric disturbances to get large amounts of semi-automatic weaponry and ammunition. The death rate in the US from guns is over three times that of Israel, 22 times higher than the UK, 147 times higher than Japan. Suicides by gunshot in the US are among the highest in the world. This should tell us something.

The founding fathers never intended this country to be turned into one large shooting gallery. The NRA who effectively represents international gun and ammunition manufacturers by periodically stirring up local hunters should have some modicum of humanity and concede that the ready availability of military weapons to shooters like James Holmes is not good for the health of this nation. We need to follow the example of the two party candidates and come together momentarily for the good of all.

Tom Godfrey

About Tom Godfrey

2 comments on “What Does The Aurora Colorado Massacre Teach Us?”

  1. KrikorD on said:

    This can be a length discussion and debate. NRA and the like place the blame on the person, not the firearm. Yes, this is very true. But, there are plenty of unstable people. At the end of the day, we can hardly control any of them, but we can control how guns are dispensed. Then there is the “… these people can inflict harm by other means.” Yes, this is true as well, but not with a 100 round drum clip. I am a hunter, I own firearms. The mechanical and engineering marvels of firearms provide a means for a skilled hunter to harvest an animal. No ethical hunter needs a 30 round clip, much less a 100 round one.
    No one is getting into firefights with home invaders. It would simply appeal to common sense to have reasonable gun control, not abolition.

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    • TGodfrey on said:

      I am glad to see a hunter come to the defense of stricter laws. Mental illness is always out there, as you know from your profession. Adults are left to their own devices until legal action is taken which can drag on endlessly if the party in question resists. One of the few ways to protect ourselves from this orgy of assault weaponry is to bring some sanity to this subject. Now if we can only get a Supreme Court who also sees this, and doesn’t regard themselves as the guardians of the free, unrestricted marketplace, might we move ahead towards reform.

      Tom

      Reply ↓

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