The shooting in Tucson, Arizona on January 8 was a tragedy of national proportions that is an indisputable fact. Loughner’s actions, completely inexcusable and utterly horrifying, may have fundamentally altered Americans’ opinions on gun rights and political speech. Yet, this turn against heated debate in the halls of Congress as well as in town halls across the nation is misguided. Political rhetoric, whether impassioned or neutral, had nothing to do with Loughner’s actions. He was a mentally crazed man that never referenced the words of political commentators from the left or the right. Although there are many on the far right who are openly hostile to government officials, there are just as many who feel the same way on the far left. Yes we should have stricter gun control like the assault weapons ban. Yes we should limit the number of bullets in weapons’ magazines. Those are sensible and reasonable ideas, and thats what this debate should be about, but to somehow link the deranged actions of a deranged man to political speech is just that. Deranged.
Ben Bowie, sophomore