Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Unhappy Anniversary

The TV reminds me that on this date, lunatic John W. Hinckley, Jr. took potshots at President Ronald Reagan, seriously injuring Press Secretary James Brady.

In the wake of this tragedy, Mr. Brady's wife had a choice; she could blame the crazy guy who pulled the trigger, and work to improve detection and treatment of such person, or she could blame the gun in his hand.

A logical, reasonable person might point out that a gun without John W. Hinckley, Jr. at the trigger is just a collection of inert parts, while Hinckley without a gun can still carry a stiletto or a can of hairspray and a lighter, or a flask of sarin.

Sarah and James didn't see it that way.

So much for "common sense."

6 comments:

Tango Juliet said...

Idiocy pays much better in our society.

North said...

Laws have been enacted, but he is out wandering the streets. He is uncontrolled, the rest of us bound by control.

Ed Rasimus said...

A more important anniversary was yesterday, March 29. 100 years ago the John Browning design military auto-loading pistol was adopted to become the Model 1911. Now, that's some historic event!

Anonymous said...

Being a professional victim pays pretty well, you get to go to parties with all the cool kids and have your picture taken with The Oprah.

As long as you pick the "correct" cause, it's living large.

Gerry

Rabbit said...

Nancy Reagan never spoke out for gun control and it was her husband Hinckley was shooting at.

Fuzzy Curmudgeon said...

Am I sorry James Brady was disabled for life as collateral damage to a presidential assassination attempt? Sure.

But I always thought it was supreme hubris that the Bradys thought more of themselves than they did of the President. He and his wife could have emulated his boss and kept working for our Constitutional freedoms instead of deciding to wage war on the 2nd Amendment.