Still Living In The Wild West

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeThe latest mass murder in America occurred Saturday at a political meet-and-greet hosted by Arizona's Democratic congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, which was held outside a Tucson supermarket.  A young man named Jared Loughner allegedly used the occasion to turn it into a shooting gallery, leaving six dead and 13 wounded, including Giffords.  Loughner is now under federal custody and, if convicted, could be sentenced to death.  Meanwhile, Giffords is clinging to life as we speak.

Mass murders have become as American as apple pie.  In this country, you don't need a car bomb or a 747 smashing into skyscrapers to create havoc.  All that's necessary is one person who, for reasons known only to himself (and it's usually a he), goes on a shooting spree in a public place with a weapon that was either legally purchased or stolen.  Then everyone wonders why it happened.

This is made possible by the fact that, though the Wild West era supposedly ended over a century ago, we've never really left it.  From political assassinations to gangland murders (anyone wonder why Al Capone and John Dillinger still fascinates us?) to Columbine and Virginia Tech, the legends of Billy the Kid and Jesse James live on.  Shoot first, ask questions later?  It's still the ethos we live by.

This is the most gun-friendly nation in the world.  We have a Second Amendment which may be the most misunderstood passage in the Constitution when it comes to the part about the right to bear arms.  There are millions of responsible gun owners who keep their weapons in a safe place.  Some states now allow anyone with a permit to carry a concealed weapon.  There are background checks to make sure weapons don't get into the wrong hands.

Don't expect the Wild West mentality to change any time soon.  As long as criminals and the mentally ill find a way to get guns . . . As long as the National Rifle Association has Congress in its back pocket, negating any real gun control laws . . . As long as we glorify violence in all its aspects, there will continue to be mass murders.  And we'll still be wondering why it happened.