Just finished reading all the way through this thread and have to admit there were tears at many of the posts. By now you'd think I'd be past that. I've spent the last 25 years of my life as a journalist -- most of 10 sitting in courtrooms listening to the unbelievably terrible things people do to each other for unbelievably stupid reasons, often for no reason at all. I finally went on the desk as an editor to get away from it, at least a little ways away. Now I only deal with murder, mayhem, grief and all the pain people suffer after it's been filtered through the eyes and minds of others, but it still hurts, especially something like this.

While I agree with a lot of the things already said, there are two that I can't -- and both for very similar reasons.

Ban the guns? I won't rehash the rebuttals, but it won't work. Man has been slaughtering his fellows one way or another since time began and at least a gun can help a weaker person ward off an attack by a stronger one, or at least it gives him a chance. It seems to me what we have to work on is how we view guns, their uses and other people.

The other thing that got under my skin a little was the references to the BAD OLD MEDIA for showing us all the carnage and its aftermath, thereby giving the next sicko a blueprint for his 15 minutes of fame. Same argument; news is as necessary to keeping the bullies (and they come in lots of forms) at bay as guns are and the only thing that separates good information from bad information is how it's used.

I find it astounding when -- not necessarily here, because I don't know what many mudcatters do for a living -- when I hear educators, those great purveyors of information, slagging journalists for trying to portray the world like it is with an idea of outraging enough people to make them change it.

Rant over. Love this site. There are a lot of people on it I'd love to get to know better. Hope it happens.

ddw