Giffords and Loughner

First of all I want to say that I hope Gabrielle Giffords makes a swift and complete recovery.  Secondly, my thoughts go out to those victims and their families.  This was a horrible tragedy.  As with most tragedies... there is no excuse.  There is no reason.  There can't be.

 I woke up to do something I hadn't done in a while which was check Yahoo News.  Something about the Top 10 search caught my eye... Sarah Palin.  With her possibility at running next election and my vehement opposition to the idea, I couldn't help but see what was generating the recent buzz.

I didn't know about the shooting.  I hadn't heard a thing about what happened on Saturday.

I read through news stories online while CNN played in the background.  I haven't heard everything.  I know Loughner is in court today for his first appearance.  I know Giffords is in the hospital and in critical condition.  I've heard testimony from gun rights activists, locals (including a teacher that witnessed warning signs in Loughner), and politicians.

At this point... I'm wondering what the motivation could be.  I've heard he has some strong views when it comes to his rights... to the Constitution.  What was he trying to accomplish?  Was there a message?

The big question though is... why?

Why does anyone think violent displays will provide support for your agenda?  Why does anyone think that the loss of innocent life will create followers?

Maybe there was no message.  I'm not sure what would scare me more... that a person can have a ridiculously horrific agenda premeditated by warped political views... or that a person is just violent to be violent, no rhyme or reason.

Yet, there is no reason for any of this.

Events like this... they honestly scare me.  That one person can cause something like this to happen.

I know that our justice system will prevail... that the man responsible will be sentenced for his crimes.  This knowledge doesn't bring me peace of mind.

When these things happen, retribution isn't what I seek.  I just want these tragedies to stop.  I want to know that this could never happen again.  To our families.  To our friends.  To our nation.  To our world.

There is one thing I wanted to talk about, albeit briefly.

Sarah Palin had a map of congress members with crosshairs over them on her website and on Facebook.  Giffords was one of them.  Whether there's a connection to what happened... whether this was the reasoning behind Loughner's assault... that isn't really what matters.  I'm not saying Palin did this.  I'm not saying this is what she wanted.  I'm not saying she endorses Loughner or the actions of like minded individuals.

All I'm saying is... what would possess a person to use the things related to guns in such a light manner as to PUT A FUCKING CROSSHAIR over ANYONE!?  Look, when I was a child I got a lecture over pointing my fake cap gun at family members.  Weapons are serious.  Their use is a thing that should be a mindful experience, with safety first.  You are holding an instrument of death.

You just... can't joke about putting a gun sight over someone.  Even if this had never happened.  Even if Loughner had never done this.

Listen, I'm a republican.  I support gun rights.  I think we deserve to be armed, and should have that right if we so desire.  Putting too many regulations on guns isn't the answer, in my eyes.  There's a bigger issue here.  The individual is more of a problem than the instrument.  Yes, if he couldn't have acquired a gun he may not have done what he did.  Or he could have made a bomb and caused even more destruction.  I can't blame the gun in every instance of gun violence.  I can always blame the individual.

That being said, Sarah.  Look.  Stop.  You're not intelligent enough to run this country.  You're not capable of dealing with the intricacies of the job.  The necessities.  I don't want to trust the next four years to someone who jokes about guns... who puts her family on television to garner "possible" presidential support... whose daughter is in more celebrity news articles than celebrities.  She is the epitome of everything crazy and ridiculous, in my eyes, that the last decade has been.  The reality show was the nail in the coffin for me.  The map... these recent events... I think it was the dirt that covered the coffin.

I don't think Palin wanted this.  What American would?  However... I just pray that we don't see this woman in political office.

Again... I hope Giffords makes a speedy recovery.   I hope Palin doesn't do or say anything stupid in response to any of this.  I just want the events revolving around this to resolve with the man behind bars.