Quote of the Day, 1/15/2012 (repost)

"False is the idea of utility that sacrifices a thousand real advantages for one imaginary or trifling inconvenience; that would take fire from men because it burns, and water because one may drown in it; that has no remedy for evils except destruction. 


The laws that forbid the carrying of arms are laws of such a nature. 


They disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. 


Can it be supposed that those who have the courage to violate the most sacred laws of humanity, the most important of the code, will respect the less important and arbitrary ones, which can be violated with ease and impunity, and which, if strictly obeyed, would put an end to personal liberty... and subject innocent persons to all the vexations that the guilty alone ought to suffer? 


Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man. They ought to be designated as laws not preventive but fearful of crimes, produced by the tumultuous impression of a few isolated facts, and not by thoughtful consideration of the inconveniences and advantages of a universal decree."


Cesare Beccaria, Italy, 1738-1794, author of "Of Crimes and Punishments", widely read by the founders of the United States.

This is the position of modern 2nd amendment proponents.  It has been demonstrably true for centuries.  Laws primarily affect those who obey them.


It doesn't matter how many laws are on the books.  Bad guys are bad guys.

Pray for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, the surviving wounded, and for the souls of the murdered in Arizona

...they are innocent victims.

You have but to watch Jared Loughner's video on youtube to know that he is insane (psychotic and sociopathic);  he is likely to be diagnosed a paranoid schizophrenic. 

Towards the end of the video, you can see elements of contitutionally conservative ideas that he has come across, but the ideas and his use of language are deranged.  

This guy is not one of us;  he is seriously mentally ill.  It is to be expected that the left and the mainstream media will exploit the tragedy to re-assert their assault on private gun ownership.  You can expect the media to connect the shooting to the patriot/constitutional conservative movement:

Here is an opening paragraph from neocon FoxNews:

Jared Loughner, the 22-year-old man who sources identify to Fox News as the gunman in custody in the deadly shooting rampage Saturday in Arizona, is suspected of posting a series of YouTube videos that show a focus on literacy and currency -- as well as his distrust in the government.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/01/08/shooting-suspects-apparent-youtube-video/#ixzz1AUXCHcBd

This type of act is random, and happened only because of the man's mental disease.  

That Jared Loughner came by a gun at all is a breach of the current laws.  Either he acquired the weapon prior to his disease progressing (schizophrenia can manifest and become debilitating in late teens to early 20's, and he is 22 years old), or someone screening him had no reason to suspect his illness (a weakness in the law), or he stole the gun or otherwise obtained it outside the law.

This guy is a perfect example of the fallability of gun control efforts.  

If more citizens were armed,  trained to react to such situations, and practiced concealed carry, it might not have stopped Jared Loughner from getting off his first shot or shots;  however, it is unlikely that he would have been able to shoot 18 people.

I am very sorry for all the victims.