Extending my deepest sympathies to the lives lost and those profoundly impacted by the tragedy in Aurora, CO.

It is never easy to hear the gruesome details recalled by witnesses and survivors and it will never make sense to us, as to why these horrific events occur.  I hope that the families, the theatre patrons, employees and law enforcement officials take the appropriate and necessary steps to seek support and counseling.  It is my sincerest hope, that the community comes together to help each other heal.

Since the horrific shooting, attention has shifted to arguments on gun control and stricter regulations; seems like a reasonable reaction for most of us.  The question gets posed over and over,  “How  (and why) did a 24-year-old get a hold of an AR-15 assault rifle, a Remington 870 12-gauge shot-gun and two .40 caliber Glock handgun?”  According to police reports, the killer began purchasing guns legally in May, June and July 2012; However, it is estimated that over 40% of gun acquisitions occur in the secondary market. That means that they happen without a background check at a federally licensed dealer.  Sales from federal firearm licensees (FFLs) require a background check. Sales between individuals, under federal law, do not require a background check. This means that felons can “lie and buy” at gun shows and other places where guns are readily available.   (More information on Gun Trafficking).

For me though, after I rationalize the right to bear arms vs. the government control (or lack thereof) over gun ownership, I immediately shift my thinking to the state of mind of the person wielding the assault rifle.  What led him to that awful, evil, isolating place in his mind and his life, that landed him on the edge?  What could we, the community, the family, the educators, the spiritual advisors, the doctors, the friends, the by stander, have done differently to help prevent this type of violence?  Do we play a role in this?

Obviously, I am not blaming us for the violent outburst, we didn’t pull the trigger; but I am accusing us of consistently turning our backs on each other, for not being educated (and sensitive) on mental health issues, for not being aware of resources available in our community,  for not recognizing or paying attention to warning signs.   I bet you, if it hasn’t already been exposed, that someone who knew James Holmes (the man who shot and killed 12 people and wounded 58 others during the first few minutes of The Dark Night Rises) will come forward stating they thought “something was off with him” or that he had recently demonstrated a shift in his demeanor that seemed “odd”.  I mean, the man had purchased 4 weapons in a ninety day period and booby-trapped his apartment with trip wire and 30 explosive devices – how does that go unnoticed? Or didn’t it but nobody stepped up to help?

I am in support of stricter gun control and regulation of who owns and operates those guns, and I know it’s a tricky balance while trying also to protect our rights, but we can not ignore the emotional and mental state of mind of people handling those weapons.  For me, this is ANOTHER opportunity to educate ourselves on warning signs, resources available, safety precautions, etc … it is NOT just about the gun.   It is never just about the gun.

When I hear about these stories of such epic levels of tragedy, all I
can think of is the innocence lost;  according to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, at least 100,000 people are shot each year and roughly 32,000 of those shot, die as a result of their injury.  So yes, we have a serious problem that is not going to change over night — in fact, since Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy assassination in 1968, more than one million people have been killed by gunfire.  Heartbreaking statistics.

With a combination of serious mental health issues plaguing this country, the considerable lack of services available, an apathetic society, ridiculously loose gun laws, a free for all in the black market, increased violence on TV, in video games, on the news, on the internet … what do we expect to happen in our society but a rampant decay of morality, self preservation and safety.

We are never going to stop violence.  We are never going to control the minds and behaviors of the people who commit these vicious acts.  But we do have the ability and the responsibility to extend an arm, a shoulder, a hand when we see each other hurting …. maybe it’s time to revolutionize the concept of Love Thy Neighbor?

 

My condolences to the victims and the families left behind – you are forever in our hearts.

Jessica N. Ghawi, 24
Veronica Moser-Sullivan, 6
John T. Larimer, 27
Alexander J. Boik, 18
Jesse E. Childress, 29
Jonathan T. Blunk, 26
Rebecca Ann Wingo, 32
Alex M. Sullivan, 27
Gordon W. Cowdon, 52
Micayla C. Medek, 23
Alexander C. Teves, 24
Matthew R. McQuinn, 27