How many times do we have to watch these terrible events unfold--- all because someone goes crazy with guns; this time a planned multi-murder of so many innocent victims. Each of the dead and injured had stories attached to why they were at the cinema for the late evening screening. When we hear these stories, some form the survivors and other about the dead, we think—‘there for the grace of God,’ it could have been me.
Once again the issue of ‘gun laws’ will be debated. Some will say that individuals bent on killing will always find ways to get their hands on guns. They will say that their constitutional rite to bear arms transcends the calls for tougher gun laws. They will also witness many more murders as yet more mentally disturbed, politically or faith-driven individuals or groups unleash slaughter on the public.
At what stage is the USA going to take a long hard look at itself and put aside the perceived need to arm themselves? Yes, I know that bearing arms is seen as a necessity to ‘protect property and life,' because the police are unable to perform these functions. The USA does not have that issue on its own.
Even in little New Zealand with its 4.5 million people, we have had some sad instances of mass-killings; the example in a Dunedin suburb many years ago where more than a dozen people were hunted down by a crazy gunman comes to mind. I am not sure of the proportionality of such events and whether the USA has more than its share of these events, but they certainly capture world-wide attention when they occur. Perhaps that is more a question of media control.
As the people of Colorado deal with this latest tragedy and ask themselves—‘why?’ then let us once again send our thought and prayers to those affected. The unanswered questions go way beyond the theatre in a small town--- it could be anywhere.
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