Muscatine

Our ratings driven media will make sure we never forget the name of the shooter. I'd rather focus on the names of the victims.

Amen to that. God bless them and their families.

Since less than 1% of gun crimes are committed using what are commonly referred to as "assault weapons", any ban or new laws would be largely symbolic.  It will make the liberals feel better for the time being, but the next time this happens with the murderer using semi-auto handguns, or revolvers, or knives, the yammering starts all over again.   

Toughen up the penalties for the idiots who own guns illegally.  Demand the courts press for full sentences and enforce those laws already on the books.  Go after gun owners who aren't smart enough to secure their weapons, which unfortunately appears to be the case with this shooters mother.  Go after the father if he had any knowledge of weapons being in that home.  Go after the liberal head case psychologists who don't have the guts to call someone "nuts" when he's clearly nuts.  Don't go after the law-abiding citizen who carries a small sidearm for self-protection. 

How all that happens becomes the most important arguement in the political arena for anyone who is a father, mother, grandparent, etc. 

As I stated here after Colorado, a 12 guage semi-automatic shotgun with heavy buckshot will do more killing and injury in a crowd setting than almost any assault rifle, and they are perfectly legal to own. Have been for ages. Some shotguns can also be adjusted for pattern. Banning "assault weapons" will not prevent mass incidents by firearms when the intent is there.