Let's Talk Gun Control Shall We? - thoughts on the Aurora shootings

As I contemplated what I would write my blog about I had so many ideas. A lot has happened recently and I just wasn't sure what I felt like tackling. Also, I've been reading nearly everything I can about everything that's been in the news. Well, many things. It's really hard to stay totally caught up and my own weak spot in the news world is international news and I have made a vow to get better at that. Here is a short list of events I considered blogging about: Sandusky Trial and Penn State's smack down from the NCAA, the Olympics and the uniforms made in China (which for me is a metaphor for so much more), Chik Fil A and their owners stance on gay marriage (I really did want to blog about this but I feel like I have blogged on gay rights quite a bit so I passed this time) and finally the Aurora shootings. Oh, one more. Kristen Stewart cheating on Robert Pattinson. Totally out of my usual realm of blogs but still. Homewrecker much? And would on Earth would cheat on RPatz?? (I know. I'm such a nerd)

For fear of sounding like a broken record I almost didn't blog on the shootings since it's so overplayed in the media and we are saturated with so much detail whether it's important or not. I have a few thoughts I will play out in this blog. One is the amount of media attention these situation get, mental illness and the media and lastly gun control as a whole. You may boo or you may cheer at what I say or you may just say, "eh, whatever." It's all well and good.

So every single time a tragedy of this magnitude plays out in the media every one has a knee jerk reaction. "Oh my god!" "how tragic" "was he caught?" "how many people died". After the initial feeding of the starvation of the basics, things start to get broken down. "Who was this guy?" "Where there warning signs?" "Who knew him" and the focal point falls from the victims and lands smack dab on the killer. In many cases I believe this is what the killer wants but that's just speculation. The human mind (most of them) cannot comprehend the idea of killing a person let alone a lot of people. Sheer curiosity and the need to understand can overtake our compassion for those who were slain. That to me is very sad. James Holmes should merely be a footnote and we should get updates as he goes to court. Hearing dates, updates, trial dates, etc. I honestly don't care to see his spacey looking bug eyes beneath a tousle of badly died red curls again. I want to know about the victims. I want to know about their dreams and their families. I want to know about funds that people can donate to their families or the victims who are still alive and funds to help them with medical costs. I know that information is out there but to find it, again, I have to see four times as many articles and pictures of 'ol bug eyes. Also, isn't this usually what these serial killers or mass murders want? I am not a FBI profilist or whatever but I have studied extensively on serial killers. Why? Simple. The human brain fascinates me and psychology fascinates me. What happens in the brain to allow these things to happen is disturbing and interesting. Anyway, from what I have learned from experts in the field is this is usually the last straw to get noticed. These individuals are so alone and their reality has become so distorted that they feel this is the only way to make a name for themselves, to be known, and not disappear into oblivion like the rest of us someday will.

That brings me to the mental health issues. Many Americans suffer from mental illness. Whether it's anxiety to severe depression to actual agoraphobia or other afflictions that make their daily lives really hard, it's all there. But there has always been a stigma on mental health. Most likely the term "crazy". Now no one wants to be called crazy. Like seriously crazy. And no one wants others to feel weird around them, not trust them with their children, or other judgements if they find out the person has a mental illness. I don't know anything about this guy's mental illness or if he even has one. I think it's safe to assume he does. "Normal" people do not walk into a theater and just start shooting. This is not human nature to kill for no reason. Something inside him snapped. Or something has been simmering for a long time and finally blew. Were there signs? That's a subjective thing to say because even I have off days and I would hate for someone to think because I've become withdrawn I'm going to go on a murderous rampage.  Which also makes me think of what his defense will say. How will he plead? Not guilty because of mental illness or defect (thank you Law and Order SVU) or will he plead out. I really do hate plea bargains. Just so the prosecutor gets a "win" some people never get put to trial in front of their peers for judgement. They plead "guilty" for a less sentence. That almost seems like blackmail or extortion. "You give me a win and I won't throw you in the slammer." Disappointing..

My last thought (I'm making a valid effort to keep these blogs much shorter as I tend to go on and on, gun control. This shooting like so many others has opened up a whole bag of worms regarding gun control. Both sides are up in arms (pun intended). You have the groups who want more restriction, more control, more over site, less guns, you also have the other side who says if guns were allowed in the theater this would have never happened. Ok, the last statement is just plain ignorant. No one can say for sure what would have happened if someone in the theater had a gun. Let's be realistic. It was chaotic, tear gas was in the air, people are screaming and bleeding and fights are being fired in the dark. Here's the different between the gunman and everyone else. He wasn't aiming for anyone in particular. He didn't care who he shot. If you were in the theater with a gun you would have to be able to grab it, locate your target and shoot. Way easier said then down my friends, and if you think you "could have taken him out" shut up. You have no idea if you could have. For all you know you could have ended up shooting more innocent people. One little piece of evidence all these "would be heroes" seem to be forgetting is this guy was covered in bullet proof armor from head to toe so let go of your fantasy were you and your gun are the big heroes. Ok, that being said, this situation is not an issue about gun control for me. On either side. First of all, what more regulations can you have? He didn't have any priors and passed all clearances. He obtained his guns legally just like millions of other Americans but they don't shoot up theaters. How much of a background test are we going to give people? Make them take a lie detector? Scan their brains? We run a fine line of invading to much privacy here. So no, more regulation would NOT have prevented this. Having concealed carry in the theater would NOT have prevented this. You know why? If a person wants to do something of this magnitude they are going to do it, whatever means necessary. If he couldn't get the ammo and guns legally he would have gotten them on streets so that point is moot. If people want to be homicidal maniacs they will be. Sorry to say but it's true. It's called free will and everyone has it. Some use it for good and others use it to hurt. Holmes chose to kill people. He was going to do this regardless of his means of obtaining the guns. That was merely a point on his checklist of "Things I have to do before I start killing innocent people".

My final thoughts are there is so much talk, talk, talk, and speculation about what if and could have. The fact of the matter is this happened. Let the families mourn. Pray for those who have lost. Be grateful for everyday you have and love everyone as much as you can. Take all the politics and speculation away and you are left with broken hearts and broken families. Including Holme's family. They are dealing with the unimaginable. Let these families say goodbye in piece and figure out how to go on. And to the Wall Street Journal reporter James Taranto who tweeted,

"I hope the girls whose boyfriends died to save them were worthy of the sacrifice."

I am going to punch you in the wiener if I ever see you. How dare you classify or question their "worthiness". Their boyfriends decided they were worthy when they shielded them from flying bullets. True heroes. Gave the ultimate sacrifice and should be remembered as such. Saying something so stupid on your Twitter account Mr. Taranto shows your huge lack of sensitivity and that basically your kind of an asshole. How do you think the girls family would feel? Anyway, I'm getting off topic because people can be ignorant and stupid.

All I can say is that I hope the families of the victims and the surviving victims going through treatment find some peace somewhere. You have not lost your loved ones in vain even if the media portrays that.