I was just watching coverage of the shooting in the high school in Parkland, Florida. It now seems that 17 were killed with many others wounded. The suspect has been caught. He is Nikolaus Cruz, a former student at the high school who was expelled for disciplinary reasons. Despite non-stop coverage, that's pretty much all that is known.
I have to say that I find it extremely annoying to hear various people on TV solemnly stating that we have to "come together" and "stop" these events. I just heard Bill Nelson, one of Florida's senators say essentially that. That is also the sound bite from numerous pundits. We don't even know yet why this attack took place, how the shooter got his weapons, if there were others involved, and if the shooter is mentally ill. There's no way to know what, if anything, would have prevented this attack.
That's just part of the problem, however. We get these people who tell us we need "common sense gun safety legislation". What is that exactly? They never say. Short of banning gun sales and confiscating all guns in the country -- something that would need a constitutional amendment and would never pass-- there is no way to limit the chances of an event like this meaningfully. Could someone get a gun illegally? Sure. Could someone with mental problems be overlooked? Sure. Could someone who legally owns a gun snap? Sure. So what stops that? They don't tell us.
I think it's pretty clear that if there were a reasonable suggestion about what to do to stop these events from happening, the majority of the country would support them. The problem is that all we get is slogans or condemnations of "inaction". Let's hear the plan. Just once; let's hear the plan.
I have to say that I find it extremely annoying to hear various people on TV solemnly stating that we have to "come together" and "stop" these events. I just heard Bill Nelson, one of Florida's senators say essentially that. That is also the sound bite from numerous pundits. We don't even know yet why this attack took place, how the shooter got his weapons, if there were others involved, and if the shooter is mentally ill. There's no way to know what, if anything, would have prevented this attack.
That's just part of the problem, however. We get these people who tell us we need "common sense gun safety legislation". What is that exactly? They never say. Short of banning gun sales and confiscating all guns in the country -- something that would need a constitutional amendment and would never pass-- there is no way to limit the chances of an event like this meaningfully. Could someone get a gun illegally? Sure. Could someone with mental problems be overlooked? Sure. Could someone who legally owns a gun snap? Sure. So what stops that? They don't tell us.
I think it's pretty clear that if there were a reasonable suggestion about what to do to stop these events from happening, the majority of the country would support them. The problem is that all we get is slogans or condemnations of "inaction". Let's hear the plan. Just once; let's hear the plan.
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