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If I recall the Michael Moore film on Columbine, Canadians have many more guns than we do. What they lack is our attitude.
Americans have attitudes and societal reinforcement that encourages a 'get even' and macho attitude.
Add that to our national need for immediate satisfaction and Voila! it can be rationalized that the guy who wronged you, the guy you disagree with must be killed!
Throw into the mix hate radio and internet sites that uses words to drive people to extreme acts. That extols the virtues of those who act on their hate. What a volatile mix.
I did not mean to write a screed and I am about as far from being a gun nut as one can be. But I am coming to believe that access to guns is far from the only problem.
One more add to the mixture would be our access to drugs - prescribed and non-prescribed.
Now how one attacks this stew I have no idea.
I surely prize my freedoms. It is sad that literally thanks to our freedoms we all live in danger of death all the time. I think most of you know I have had some politically motivated death threats. While I think in all cases it was just the macho American acting out, who really knows?
One last thing. Guns are so impersonal and efficient. To kill a person you can be far away. With a knife, with a club etc. you must get close to your victim. You must act and continue to act until the deed is done. With a gun, you can be across a room. If you a decent shot - bang and the victim is dead. No touching, no look in the eye.
All this to say I was stunned by this murder. A good man killed no doubt to revenge some minor slight.
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