I am not sure this will qualify as an article as much as a reaction to yesterday’s shooting episode in Tucson. We happened to be out with a group of very old and dear friends last evening. Quite promptly we reviewed the events of the day in Tucson as we knew them and each had an opinion. They did vary. What was unanimous was that for no apparent reason countless lives have been forever altered by this bizarre event.
Arizona has not been in the news this past year in a very favorable way. SB1070 drew all kinds of criticisms and millions of dollars lost in revenue to the state. With the advent of the football bowl season some of those angry folks have looked the other way and hotels and restaurants have been terribly busy. Tomorrow night the pinnacle of games, the BCS Championship, airs. It is hard to say folks don’t want to be here when tickets go for most any price as long as there are at least 4 numerals and more likely 5 in the ticket price. For the visitors to the state maybe Tucson seems a far ways down I-10 and there is no need to worry.
I have digressed from the shootings. It is a habit of mine when I feel inadequte to ‘do something’. Maybe it is denial, survival, avoidance???
What I feel very strongly about is why folks need to carry guns. (I understand controlled hunting for game even if I personally think getting proficient with a bow and arrow is the real sport.) Should the freedoms of this country allow the seller of the gun to question the wisdom of a disgruntled looking young fellow in combat boots, black clothes and long dark trench coat, being a wise choice to take a gun in hand? I fear for the most law abiding citizens who can just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. We have all become targets. Where is the sense in guns and where is the message??
My hope today is for peace to these affected families in Tucson. My hope for the days to come is the suspect does not have his case thrown out for reasons of insanity.