Shootings bring alarming proposals
Regarding the Arizona shooting and the Times Editorial (Jan. 12):
First, Mr. Loughner is an individual without a coherent philosophy or political ideology. It is dishonest to imply that his act was a product of conservative rhetoric.
Second, the proposed legislative response to this event is alarming. For example, Robert Brady of Pennsylvania plans to introduce a bill that would make it a crime to use speech or symbols that “could be perceived” as threatening violence toward a federal official. Could be perceived – by whom? By anyone, apparently, even a delusional psychotic like Loughner. If such a law is passed, it would judge everyone’s political speech by its subjective effect on the mind of anyone who may have heard it.
Separately, Sen. Frank Lautenberg will introduce a bill to ban high capacity firearm magazines. If these are such a threat, why does the senator wait until there has been a high profile shooting to propose the measure? Because Americans know that restrictions on magazines are really restrictions on firearms. The senator knows he needs a horrific event, and the sensationalist journalism of Paul Krugman and his ilk, to disarm the American citizens he is evidently so afraid of.