Of Senators and Cockroaches - Sunday, January 09, 2011

The USA, indeed the world, is wringing its hands in anguish over the shooting of Senator Gabrielle Giffords by a 22 year old man “described by friends as a pot-smoking loner”.

That’s the story link to Senators.

The link to cockroaches is not so evident – I have trouble bringing myself to stamp on a cockroach or a wood louse, so you need to believe that I don’t condone the random shooting of anyone, especially the six people left dead, and especially the family, friends and colleagues of all.

This is not a heartless blog; it is a blog about Clear Thinking.

Here’s the pitch:

Why, in a nation of 307,000,000 people, most of which adults are empowered to carry a gun, are we surprised that, from time to time one of the gun-toting adults lets loose?

In this article I am not arguing for or against gun control – although I have strong thoughts about it.

I am arguing for Clear Thinking.

I am amazed that there are not MORE of these random shootings, given the apparent ease with which one can obtain a gun (I’ve never tried) and the ludicrous idea that you may or may not conceal the weapon. What difference does it make whether you are allowed to conceal it if you plan to drill someone in the head anyway?

It seems to me that a nation that enshrines gun-ownership by private individuals should not be surprised when one of those individuals lets loose.

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