There is always a tendency to overreact after a tragedy like what we saw in Aurora, CO. It happened after Columbine. It happened after Virginia Tech. There is already calls to pull the Dark Knight Rising from theaters, ban costumes, and the most alarming a call for more gun control. A couple of quick thoughts.
1. Pulling the movie sends the wrong message.
Unless there is actionable intelligence that demonstrates there will be repeats all that pulling the movie will serve is that we can be kowtowed by violent acts. There was a rumor going around that it could be pulled, but that has now been debunked.
2. The lack of costumes don’t make us safer.
AMC Theaters have now said they would ban some costumes. Why? Does the lack of costumes make movie goers safer? No. It is a decision based on fear. They certainly have the right to do it, but it is an overreaction. I’m not a costume person, but it any reaction that diminishes liberty is never the right response.
3. We don’t need more gun control, we need less.
I’m sure you’ll see signs banning any type of weapon. Again companies do have the right to do this, as I believe that private property owners can determine whether they will have firearms on their premises or not. Consider this – if there had been one, just one, well trained, responsible adult with a carry permit who was packing do we really think this would have ended with 12 dead and 71 wounded?
Doubtful. I remember the shooting at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, CO. That could have a tragedy like this if it were not for an armed off-duty police officer volunteering as security for the church that morning. If people had been allowed to be armed at Virginia Tech the outcome would have different as well. The point is if you take the right to carry away from lawful citizens the only people carrying are criminals.
So we need to take a collective breath and take a step back and thoughtfully respond as facts about the shooting come forth.
