Remembering Tucson

It is important that this week, one year after the tragedy at Tucson, we remember those who were senselessly slaughtered there, including a 9-year old girl. It is important that we honor them by doing all we can to make sure this kind of thing never happens again, by making it at least a bit harder for criminals, terrorists and the mentally ill to get their hands on weapons that can kill in a heartbeat.

We must always respect our Bill of Rights, but we must also remember it was Christina Taylor Green's right to have her "general welfare protected," to enjoy the right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." It was her right to see her 10th birthday.

 

Follow Cliff Schecter on Twitter: www.twitter.com/cliffschecter

Comments

[Gordon Hilgers]

08:35 PM on 01/11/2012

I suffer from a mental illness (in remission) and you couldn't get me near a gun. I am glad this rule is in place. Impulsiveness, grandeloquent thinking, paranoia, unrestrained emotional responses: These are typical problems those with mental illness suffer. It's better to be safe than sorry. I fully understand the grief that shooter caused. But the question remains: Since mental illness has a social factor in that dysfunctional subjective states of miind tend to affect others, what are we to do? Get the malefactor sane enough to stand trial and then throw away the key? Or confine him in a mental institution? All I am saying is that mental illness often has consequences that affect others. Some of the craziest people I have ever known seemed for all intents and purposes to be absolutely sane.