The cause of the Colorodo has caused many to be up in arms about arms. However, when reading through the history of the individual behind the attacks and from the possible motive what is actually more likely is that the debate should not be about guns. It should be about the expense of secondary education.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/22/us/pain-and-puzzles-in-wake-of-deadly-colorado-attack.html?pagewanted=allIf my read of this is correct, it sounds like the suspect went to college, and was currently working his way up to a Ph'D. For those in the know that means that you've already been in college for 4 years and now you're on your way to a really expensive endevor of becoming specialized. Luckily I was wise enough to get out before putting myself further in a financial hole. However, unfortunately for this kid he did not. From the article:
"Mr. Holmes’s background was science. Before dropping out he took a class that explored the biological origins of psychiatric and neurological disorders, and was scheduled to give a presentation on “MicroRNA Biomarkers,” according to a class schedule published online. The topic appears to demonstrate an interest in the genetic basis of mental illness.
The field of micro-RNA research is relatively new, and scientists still know little about how the short snippets of genetic material that can turn off or potentially turn up the action of a gene might play a role in illnesses like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, said Dr. Thomas Lehner, director of the Office of Genomics Research Coordination at the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Md.
But in recent years, he said, researchers have been searching for differences in micro RNA that might predispose certain people to severe mental illness."
So what it seems right now, with this kid being a loner and faced with a career that no longer existed and a multi-thousand dollar piece of paper struck back blindly at the world he felt had rejected him and his dream. Therefore, what we need to make sure happens is that when we have people who drop out or are kicked out of academia to make sure they receive financial and psychological consoling at the very least. At the most we should be addressing the expense of secondary education and making it so that there are alternatives for people who are victim of shifting job environments.
Obviously this kid didn't go about this the right way, nothing excuses what he did in any sense. However, what I always feel is that to prevent these things isn't to look at the gun, but to look at the person behind the gun and find out what situation made them pull the trigger.
Democrats say "get the guns out of the hands of psychopaths". Well of course, everyone can agree to that. There is one problem with that phrase is that it does not pertain to this case and would not have prevented it. Unless a speeding ticket makes you a psychopath.
The problem is that when an introvertive person who feels their purpose is set in stone and will focus entirely on it. When you put all that money all that planning into a career of it the person will appear normal because they have a plan. Losing that plan can lead to the radical change of behavior. Should the person not have anyone to help them through that transition or to be there during the hard times, it could cause the person to do very unseemly things they wouldn't have had if they had support.
As a person who has lived most of their life alone, I am aware of what handling big things by yourself can do to a psyche. My high school friend tried to handle being gay by himself, and he ended up killing his mother. When I lost my job in NJ I had a furry roommate to have a shoulder to cry on. He was a person who dealt with a lot of hard times in his life, so he knew that what had happened to me wasn't the end of my world though it is still one of the worst experiences I have had and I'm thankful for that. If he hadn't been there, I don't know how I would have handled the situation or what I might have been capable of doing in that state. Though I can never see myself harming others, I could have been capable of harming myself or maybe doing something that would have made the situation worse for myself.
Independence is all and good, when one is of clear mind and body. But one has to remember, sooner or later one or the other is going to give and it is at those moments that the need to rely on others is essential and the need for others to be there for others in those moment is also highlighted.
So when someone is down, being there for them can not only be beneficial to the person you are helping directly, it can impact those that might be impacted should the person who didn't receive the help necessary goes down a more dark path fueled by the lapse of judgement such a major life shift can bring.
This isn't a problem the government can solve, in fact trying to get people to rely more on a faceless entity can make the help seem impersonal. And even then they might not get the help they need if we rely too much on one entity. Because so many need help in this world, if one group or individual tries to do everything they are eventually going to deny some they don't see as a problem. Might think the person is committing fraud, when they are genuine.
Therefore, as hard as it may be to admit, it is not the fault of our system of laws, law enforcement, or guns. It is a failure of community. To be a bit nosy of their neighbors, even when they sometimes don't want you to be. To care for those around you, to ask questions and to make sure others are alright.
I think that's something everyone can do, and can help prevent such incidents in the future. Better yet, people can do this without the intervention of politicians and government who are more then happy to try and use situations like this to flex their muscles.
