I would like to express my sincere condolences to all involved in the Connecticut mass murder. There are no words to adequately say what we all are feeling right now. May the victims of this crime be remembered forever in our hearts.
That said, it is indeed amazing to see so much of the media focus on the perpetrator of this crime and so little on the victims. The sensationalistic reporting on this crime, and even some news reports ranking this crime in degree when compared to others, borders on the insane. All this does is inspire other disturbed people to try for their five minutes of fame, all compliments of the blood-thirsty media.
Of course, the tragedy needs to be publicized, but the responsibility for doing so without fanning the flames of other possibly sick people rests solely with those reporting it, the mainstream media. Even the supposed facts of this case cannot be ascertained as there is so much contradictory information being bandied about.
Unfortunately, that is just the means to the end that the media so supports: that of banning firearms ownership by responsible individuals.
All of this will further fan the flames of the never ending attempts to "control" (ban) firearms. This tragedy should have no such effect. Rather, it should finally point out to those that would pass knee-jerk, feel-good legislation that there is a dire need for some mechanism that will allow the reporting of
Privacy laws being what they are, do nothing for the rest of society that may be affected by such an individual as murdered those innocent people in Connecticut. Simply banning a tool such as a firearm, and especially one labeled with a misnomer such as an assault weapon (actually a fully automatic firing, not semi-automatic weapon), is not going to prevent such tragedy.
Cigarettes, automobiles and alcohol each kill far more people each year than all firearms deaths. Yet, banning has been tried and repealed for alcohol, and the only legislation that works and has been proven to work, is laws governing the responsible ownership and use of such items.
Perhaps someday, after enough more mass murders occur, especially in legislated gun-free zones, (free-fire zones for wackos), maybe, just maybe, someone who we have elected to enact good legislation, will realize that it is not the tool, it is the person who wields it who is responsible for such horror.
Perhaps one of those elected officials will even realize once they look at the facts, that the vast majority of those responsible for such a crime, was either an illegal possessor of the firearm, or illegally obtained it, or would have been if their medical history was known, and laws banning the tool or implement would be ineffective.
Perhaps that day will never come, and that would be a pity, as it affects all of our freedoms in this country, one at a time.
Tom Decker
Readsboro, Vt.
Dec. 16
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