I confess I have only skimmed this thread.

I have been following the "news", and what is most striking to me in reading the news are the following observations:

1. There really is not enough information known at present to draw conclusions beyond the fact that a lone military gunman shockingly gunned down at random a number of people at his military base.


2. The posts of Q, Bill D., Jeri and Amos jump out at me as pretty objective. They are not completely harmonious posts, but they all reflect the capacity to accept complexity and multi-determination.

3. Congress, and the nation, are looking for a simplistic model of a scape goat within government and beaurocracy.

The witch hunt is on for some one to blame in addition to the shooter, for not discerning within him the potential for this awful violence. When someone goes berserk and kills a bunch of people in a shooting spree, there are nearly always red flags that are apparent in hindsight. It would appear, at first blush, to have been some red flags in this instance. However, we are country that purports to value differences and diversity of opinion and also purports to value individual freedom. It seems to me that the operationalization of those values include inherent risks that occasionally some one who has come under scrutiny as a potential threat, will be erroneously dismissed as a threat. Speaking very generally and with a detachment I would perhaps not have if one of my loved ones had been killed or wounded by this man, I actually think it is in the best interests of freedom that those who looked at or investigated this man for prior actions or contacts under-reacted rather than over-reacted. Individual freedom is not possible without risk to society.

mg, as I said, I only have skimmed this thread, so perhaps you have already responded to inquiries regarding your post in which you said:

I don't get why there was not a faster military response..mp or something...it was a civilian policewoman who brought him down I think..you have to be prepared for this kind of thing..certainly from outsiders...on a post...mg

Why in the world are you referring to some one who is a citizen of the United States as an outsider? If you have already responded to a similar inquiry on this thread, don't be bothered to answer. I will hopefully be able to read the thread more carefully over the weekend, and will see your response.