Guns and Violence

The Massacre in Colorado leaves us heartsick and outraged, not only because of the number of innocent children slain but also because this evil has taken place in the heart of the American dream. As much as we demand that tragedy teach us lessons, it is unlikely that we will learn how to devise a set of controls that can stop violence like this in the future.

But there is one blindingly obvious lesson: The nature and extent and devastation of the violence were directly and undeniably linked to the kind of weaponry that we have made widely available in America.

Nonetheless, we are going to hear a debate about the so-called causes of teenage violence. What are we going to get from this? Are we in the middle of some "national soul-searching," as President Clinton is trying to position it? Or are we going to get some amped-up rush to judgment and blame, driven by the voices of hysteria that generally drown out the more nuanced and understanding thinkers, who are less bloodthirsty in their political appetites and ambitions?

Will a modern McCarthyism take root in our high schools? Will any kid who is a bit too odd or angry now be viewed with suspicion? Are we going to "profile" children who dress in black, behave like outsiders, appear to be interested in violent movies or songs or officially disapproved video games? Shall we make the geeks even more isolated and humiliated?